Japanese Traditional Tarot

Growth Mindset Tarot Reading

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Growth Mindset Reading - Traditional Tarot

Trunk: What core beliefs should I reevaluate?

The Magician and Ace of Cups – The believe that emotions should be “handled” rather than experienced. That they are a tool to be used to further one’s goals and mold one’s future, rather than a reward and connection to something greater than ourselves.

Weeds: What needs to be cleared away?

The High Priestess Rx – You have intuitive blockages that need to be cleared away. You have far greater potential hidden within you. You are holding yourself back.

Buds: What new growth is possible for me?

Eight of Pentacles atop Judgement – Anything you set your mind to honing with the intent of carrying with you to the end. You have only to begin. There is absolutely nothing in your way that will keep you from learning any skill or ability that strikes your interest.  To choose those you want to explore, it is the longevity of usefulness that you need to consider.

Branches: What beliefs about myself should I expand the season?

Four of Cups and Two of Cups – Rejecting help from others hurts more than just you. It doesn’t make you more independent, and doesn’t make you stronger.

Pruning: What beliefs about myself should I release?

King of Pentacles – That you will ever be truly satisfied and feel 100% stable. It’s not possible, as you will always be growing and expanding, and thus always seeking more.  Each time you reach the “stability” you thought you wanted, there will be a greater sense of stability and satisfaction just out of reach to then work toward.

Photosynthesis: Where is transformation possible?

Two of Pentacles – More balance can be had. Don’t lose focus on this goal.

DECK USED: TRADITIONAL TAROT

You’ve Got This

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IMG_8233Today’s meditation was just under thirteen minutes long and was another guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretches.  I’ve also begun adding in some forearm flexor stretches for my right arm, as the muscles have started to seize up from so many hours using the pliers and the repetitive action of the wirework.

The topic of today’s guided meditation was about how to work through difficult emotions such as loneliness, depression, sadness, etc. The key technique that is touched on in this meditation is in remembering that emotions and feelings are temporary. This time of year there’s a lot of people feeling alone, especially considering the pandemic and the restrictions in place around the world right now.  Feeling lonely or down is a common reaction to this.  They key is to remember it’s not forever, even when it feels like it’s forever.  It’s not.

Keymaster Tarot - The MagicianToday’s draw is the Magician, 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.

Like yesterday,  there are colors and items in the imagery that stand out to me, but in this case it is more of an aesthetic appeal, as the message that came from the card when it first landed on the table was clear and succinct.

You’ve got this.

It’s the last two days of the holiday rush.

You’ve got this.

DECK USED:  KEYMASTER TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: How can I best ensure that I get the rest and recovery I need in the week ahead?

Traditional Japanese TarotReading Summary: The colors in the first two cards between the aquas and the greens connect the two cards together.  These two, connected as they are, recommend that new ideas need time to percolate.  Write them down in order to keep track of what needs done, and formulate a plan with Gideon to support you on sticking to it.

The shades of green in the Nine of Pentacles also holds a connection to the Ace of Swords. This is a reminder that now that the end of the holiday rush is at its end, it’s time to turn the mind in a new direction and take time for gratitude, and to acknowledgment of your accomplishments.

Take Away: As silly as it feels to me to need someone to sort of… “police” my activities in order to assure that I get the rest I need this week to recover from the god-awful chaos and exhaustion of the holiday rush… I also know that I’m not able to fully step away without that watchful (and somewhat constant) reminder that I’m not supposed to be working.  There are things to get done and I struggle with not doing them as they pop into my head, worried they won’t get done otherwise.  I need to make sure I’m writing these things down and making a list I can then work at checking things off on later after I’ve had a few days to recover.

DECK USED:  JAPANESE TRADITIONAL TAROT

Mystic Star December Challenge Prompt
Question: What is the best way to share my gifts with those around me?

Tarot of Light and Shadow

Reading Summary: Use what you’ve learned (Six of Cups) to inspire and motivate others (Queen of Wands). And allow them to help you (Three of Serpents) when you need help to defeat your own demons and come out on top (Five of Swords).

Take Away:  This is about making sure that I respect the give-and-take that happens between myself and others.  I always try to give and help, teach and offer… but struggle with taking help in turn.   The cards here indicate that I am capable of inspiring others even while I allow others to help me with what I need help with.  They are not mutually exclusive.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF LIGHT AND SHADOW

The Release

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Today’s meditation was skipped, although I did soak in the tub this morning… so there’s that. I’m sure my downstairs neighbors were absolutely thrilled to hear me filling up the tub around 3:30am then draining it and taking a shower around 4:30am.

Japanese Traditional Tarot - Ten of SwordsToday’s draw is the Ten of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of “coming to the end of the line” on a journey of hardships and struggle. This card is about endings, but of the painful variety.

I am personally a fan of the Ten of Swords, and in most cases consider it’s appearance a good thing.  It means something I’ve been struggling through or hurting over is drawing to a close.  It’s going to hurt, but it’s also going to be the end.  Sometimes? All that pain is worth it if you finally get to the end.

What really stands out to me today in the imagery of this card is the fact that a number of those blades have not yet pierced the flesh.   This feels like it reverses the meaning of the card backward by just a slight half step.  They are also symmetrical, with matching swords on either side of the spine/body like some sort of ultra dangerous set of wings.  In fact, the only blades actually piercing through flesh are where wings would be anchored to the body.

It feels like a display of that one breathless moment just before you can break free.  That one fraction of a second where you know the end is near… right there… filled with both hope and pain, anticipation and fear.  These blades look like an unlikely and unwieldy set of wings, and yet they represent a release that has the potential to let the figure obtain the freedom to fly, even if not physically.

The message here in today’s card is to focus on the release to come. Don’t focus on your current misery and don’t fear what comes after, just focus on the release from your current chains, and foster the hope and the eagerness for that release.  The holiday rush is more than half over now.  I’ll be released soon enough.

DECK USED:  JAPANESE TRADITIONAL TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is it that I’m burying that needs to be set free?

The Simplicity TarotReading Summary:  This is about finding a happy medium (Ten of Cups). I am trying to suppressing my inner drive (Ace of Wands) with moderation… and unintentionally suppressing a fuller view of perspectives and the world (The Hanged Man) with personal spirituality (Spiritual Cleansing).

Take Away: Neither moderation or spirituality is a bad thing.  Neither that inner drive, nor the seeking of diverse perspectives and opinions is a bad thing either.  But in order to find emotional completion and contentment, you have to make room for all of them, not allowing some to overshadow the others but rather allowing them all to work both independently… and together without stepping on each other’s toes.

DECK USED:  THE SIMPLICITY TAROT