Jonasa Jaus Tarot

Hidden Threads of Inner Strength

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_3125Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and focused upon stepping outside one’s comfort zone.  The guided meditation spoke on how sometimes we need to step outside our comfort zone, and how as we do this again and again, our comfort zone begins to expand, and our ability to handle discomfort increases.

I think that everyone needs this reminder from time to time. It’s easy to want to nuzzle down into what’s comfortable and wall yourself into those places. The thing is, though, that it’s important to to step outside of those comfort zones… because life is meant to be lived, and a part of living a rich and fulfilling life is experiencing new things.

High Priestess - Hush TarotToday’s draw is the High Priestess card of the Major Arcana.   The Major Arcana cards deal with “big picture” themes that are not pared down into specific aspects of the human experience.  Traditionally, the High Priestess is a representation of intuition, the subconscious, and other hidden things connected to one’s senses, motivations, and spirituality.

Two things in this card’s imagery really stand out to me.  First is the bird cupped in her hand that whispers into her ear.   The other is the Catherine the Great quote wrapped around her wrist.  The full quote says “I may be kindly, I am ordinarily gentle, but in my line of business I am obliged to will terribly what I will at all.”  The quote’s presence holds special meaning for me in reference to this card.  It speaks of having an inner core of steel beneath a soft exterior.

The message in today’s card is about inner strength.  It’s about the inner strength that intuition can create within someone that trusts that inner voice implicitly and allows it to help guide their steps.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Where would I benefit from readjusting my trajectory at this time?

Jonasa Jaus Tarot

Reading Summary: Let go of the shit that’s holding me back (Six of Coins) from making the steps forward into new territory (Ace of Swords).  Shit that’s holding me back? The stuff that has triggered my need to guard myself (Nine of Wands).

(The connection between the Six of Coins and the Nine of Wands is in the color coordination between the two cards.)

Take Away:  The fearful mindset and fog that resulted from it from “the letter” caused a bit of a mess for me and made me very “defense oriented”.  It’s time to let go of that mindset and stride forward confidently once more.

DECK USED:  JONASA JAUS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What in my life needs changing?

New Choice Tarot de Marseille

Reading Summary:  Emotional communication (Two of Cups) is not my strong suit, but instead of ignoring my emotions or refusing to try (Four of Cups), it’s time to examine my methods (Four of Cups Rx). I need to allow my development to move forward and mature into something new (Death)

Take Away:  Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by falling back on old habits.  If I want to continue to learn to connect to my feelings, I need to communicate what is going on with me emotionally rather than ignoring it or shoving it away. 

DECK USED:  NEW CHOICE TAROT DE MARSEILLE

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
OK, so in my opinion the original question for today’s prompt was not phrased well… So I rephrased the original question in two different ways and here are the results for each.

Question: How can I keep myself safe while using my intuition?

Tarot of the Golden Wheel

Intuitive Interpretation:  Trust.  These cards are about trust, and taking action based on that trust.  My intuition is an authority that weighs above thought and sparks from those mysterious insides rather than the brain or the physical.  Being safe while using my intuition requires absolute trust.

Question: How can I keep myself safe by using my intuition? (ie: How can I use my intuition to keep myself safe?)

Tarot of the Golden Wheel

Reading Summary:  You have all the tools necessary (Magician), you just need to be willing to listen to your intuition (Knight of Cups).  Allow your gut to sing, and avoid overreactions (Temperance).

Take Away:  This is something that I already do, as I’ve been using my intuition as one of those way in which I navigate the world for a very long time.  Over the past twelve years, my intuition has become stronger and stronger, which to me means there is a clear connection between emotions and intuition.  I don’t claim to know or understand that connection or how it works, but as I’ve become more in touch with my emotions and torn down more of the walls that I have hidden my emotions behind, my intuition has become stronger and less muffled. 

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE GOLDEN WHEEL

Appreciate the Little Things

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was once again delayed until bed time.  I swear to f’ck that I’m trying to fit it in.  I really am.  But there seems to be a serious challenge to getting those ten or fifteen minutes every.. damn.. DAY so far this week.

The Sun - Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is The Sun card, which is a traditionally a representation of success, positivity, happiness and warmth, fun and exuberance.

I think that little lizard dog thing has an eyeball on its ass.  Just sayin’.

Okay so what I see in this card’s imagery is a LOT of little details.  All of the cards are pretty detailed in this deck, but today I feel like every time I look away from the card and then look back, I notice another little detail that suddenly feels significant. Just as significant as the last one.  All of them small like the eye looking spot on the rear of the creature at her feet.  The bauble hanging from her necklace…. the fact that her necklace doesn’t go around her neck but appears to hang from her ears.  The skull on her head, her navel, her tattoos, the flowers and wands she holds.

And yet it doesn’t feel cluttered.  It doesn’t feel overwhelming either.

What I feel from this is that the message in today’s draw has to do with noticing the little things and appreciating them.  Cherishing them.   Sometimes the big picture sucks, but you can still find pleasure in the little things.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Looking at the past few weeks, what may have been impeded by miscommunication?

Luna Sol Tarot

Reading Summary:  My progress moving forward into my passion (Knight of Swords) has been hampered by retreat (The Hermit) because I’ve been walking on eggshells (Six of Swords) and struggling to find balance between my personal needs and business responsibilities (Queen of Disks Rx).

Take Away:  Okay so this is about the letter, and it’s about how I’ve reacted to the letter by closing myself, which has hindered my “go get ’em” forward momentum concerning my passions and ambitions.  That letter caused an imbalance, and a disruption in my comfort levels which has caused some problems in a number of different areas concerning my business, my home life, and my own self care as well.

IS the letter a miscommunication, then?  Am I over-reacting to it?  Is it not the unreasonable demand and threat-thru-leverage that I perceived it to be?  I think this might be something I need to think on.

DECK USED:  LUNA SOL TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Where am I at physically at this time?

Jonasa Jaus Tarot

Reading Summary: Independence on my journey (Queen of Swords) toward “traditional exercise” (Hierophant)  is holding me back.  Stop ignoring the help that’s available to me (Five of Coins) and I’ll find a better way (Page of Swords) to move forward and enjoy the journey (Knight of Wands).

Take Away:  So I know that I need to get to the gym and gain some weight.  I know this, and yet I’ve not been able to manage it.  I just have no interest or motivation towards that direction. J has offered to join me, and yet I haven’t really accepted or refused.  Just… meh.    The cards indicate that I need to accept and get going on this.  Where I am physically is in a holding pattern… and it’s time to move past that, and accept the help I need (even if that help is just in motivation) in order to get myself back on track.

DECK USED:  JONASA JAUS TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I move more into my heart space?

Tarocco degli Animali

Reading Summary: Accept that it’s okay to be recognized for the good stuff (Six of Wands) and own that shit (The Emperor) rather than shoving it off, because by doing so it will create contentment (Nine of Cups).

Take Away:  I had some really sweet things said about me today that really made it stand out to me just how differently I see myself compared to how others seem to see me.  It was nice to hear, but there’s a part of me that is always reserved and holds back from absorbing praise internally when it is given.   I worry that in doing so my ego will swell into something ugly and insufferable, and… often I honestly am not sure if I even deserve praise when its given as well.  These cards indicate that it won’t make my ego insufferable, but will create a sense of contentment within myself that I’m currently missing.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO DEGLI ANIMALI

Support and Growth

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_2920Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long, and was about dealing with conflict and taking a moment to “step back” during times of conflict in order to see them from an “outside view” rather than internalizing and getting wrapped up in the moment.

The guided meditation also touched on one of the key tenants to my life, which is the assertion that conflict and difficulties are a part of our lives not to break us down, but rather to build us up and make us better and/or stronger.

Every once in a while I run across those that seem to refuse to see the negative things that have happened in their life in any sort of positive light.  Instead, they choose to cast themselves as a victim, and view this horrible thing in their life that happened as the “destroyer” of good in their lives.

I have a hard time with this perspective, and I’m not sure how to communicate with people about moving forward and strength when they so stubbornly stick to this viewpoint.  I always feel a desire to help, but how do you help someone that chooses to sit in the mud and won’t even consider the possibility of standing up?

Right, so that sort of went off on my own little tangent.  Sorry about that.

Two of Cups - Hush TarotToday’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is traditionally read as partnerships and themes to do with unity in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition.

What I see in this card is about support, though.  In the imagery both of the harpy women seem to be supporting each other on an emotional level.  It is in the tilt of the heads and angle of the chins.  There is sanctuary here in this partnership.  A connection that feels both familiar and familial.

The message for me in today’s card is that I need to make peace with those I love.  We support each other through the hard times, and are there for each other when needed.  Sometimes?  Conflicts happen.  But in the grand scheme of things, these conflicts are unimportant, and it’s the connection and support that matters.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Where would I most benefit from patience at this time?

Tarocco degli Animali

Reading Summary:  I need to make sure I’m not judging myself too harshly (Judgement) when it takes time to get the money together (Five of Coins)  to support my ambitions (Queen of Swords).  Don’t worry about the flow of money, forcing yourself into an even more stringent spendthrift will not make things move faster (Four of Coins).

Take Away:  The cards are indicating that I need to allow things to unfold at their own pace.  Making myself miserable by being miserly is not going to move things along any quicker.  Just let it move along at its own pace and practice patience.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO DEGLI ANIMALI

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What area of my life is requiring too much sacrifice at this time?

Tarocco delle Vetrate

Reading Summary:  Trying to find a balance between bolstering my self confidence (Six of Wands) and protecting myself (Nine of Wands) is stealing away (Seven of Swords) my ability to get to where I want to be (Ten of Cups).

Take Away:  As I work at pulling myself out of the fog of uncertainty and self doubt that I’ve been experiencing for the past couple of months, I’m trying too hard to both open myself up to seeking out the light… and keeping a protective outer shell in place. 

These contrasting efforts are preventing me from getting to that place of contentment and abundance I seek in my personal life.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO DELLE VETRATE

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How am I using my intuition in my life right now?

Jonasa Jaus Tarot

Reading Summary: I’m using my intuition to assist me in keeping myself afloat (Four of Wands) as I struggle with inner darkness (Devil) and healing from the damage and doubts that winter’s events cast upon me (Nine of  Swords).  Hidden behind that darkness I struggle with is the long term growth I’m seeking (Seven of Pentacles).

Take Away:  In my current situation, I am using my intuition as a life preserver to help me in keeping myself from sinking back into the fog.  Although not my only life preserver, it is helping me stay afloat so that I can keep moving forward.

DECK USED:  JONASA JAUS TAROT