Midcenturian Tarot

Reigning in Distractions

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Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long, and came after the second prolonged yoga/physio routine.  It was another of the harp strings with interval timers, but as with last time, I added in some extra stretching to help ease some of the tension of the new yoga work I’m doing.  I didn’t do the extra work yesterday, and I won’t tomorrow. I want to ease into it so I’m doing it every other day for the time being.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is Four of Water (Four of Cups) which is traditionally a representation of emotional reevaluation of a situation, meditative contemplation, or withdrawal which on an emotional level  can turn into an apathetic outlook.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of today’s card is all the motion and movement.   This is not something that I really associate with the fours of… well, any suit, really.   Fours, to me, are about stability and so all of the movement seems a bit counter-intuitive to the traditional meaning of this card.

The other thing that stands out to me in this card, though, is that the dogs on this card are wearing collars.

The movement combined with the collars brings my mind to the swirling of thoughts that go through one’s head when they can’t settle. And so maybe this does tie back to the traditional meaning after all, because what I see here in this card is the constant attempts of the mind trying to interrupt times of meditation. This is something that happens to everyone, and when we catch ourselves in the middle of meditation that is being interrupted by stray thoughts or emotions, we grab on to the “collar” of those thoughts and tug them back in line.   And yet, they always start running around again soon enough.

The message in today’s card is about accepting that this happens, and that it’s normal that this happens. It’s okay that the mind wanders during meditation as long as you catch yourself and bring your attention back to center again… no matter how many times it takes.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m struggling to maintain motivation.
Question: What aspects of my current routine might be helpful in achieving my goals?

New Palladini Tarot

Reading Summary: My self-defeating behaviors (Five of Swords) are actually a powerful tool (The Magician) in fostering hope and spiritual awareness (The Star).

Take Away:  This is a reminder that not all of my goals are centered around financial stability and security.  Growth in those areas is great, but my distractions and self-defeating behavior (such as slacking off, sometimes falling behind, etc) in these areas also opens myself up to those other types of growth that need to take place. 

DECK USED:  NEW PALLADINI TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question:  Is morality relative?

Tarotbot TarotReading Summary: Some things are constant no matter where you are or who you are (The Sun).

On the other hand, some things are more about inner perceptions (Four of Wands) and experiences (Ten of Swords). These things are relative.

Take Away:  Like the sun in the sky and the need for life on our planet to be nurtured by it, some things are universal and that includes some aspects of morality.  On the other hand, there is a great deal of morality that is based upon perception and experience, either through individuals or through societal experience.

The cards indicate that morality is not a whole, but rather is a conglomeration of pieces that are brought together through both universal values and personal/societal experiences.  So it is both relative in some areas… and not in others.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  absolute truth // opinion // misconception // lesson

Midcenturian Tarot

Absolute Truth – The World and Wheel of Fortune – All life moves in cycles.

Opinion – Temperance and Eight of Cups – Walking away from something is the same as peaceful restraint.

Misconception – Knight of Cups – Emotions don’t have to be full on all the time.

Don’t forget that the experience of one’s emotions is subjective to the person experiencing them and the memory of those emotions is influenced by what comes out of them.

Lesson – Five of Cups Rx – Letting go of pessimism and that inner narrative of negativity in order to choose a lighter path.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:  What am I being called to create now?

Evolution Tarot

Reading Summary:  You can create balance in your relationship with your responsibilities (Two of Coins) if you’re willing to practice patience and allow for your growth to continue at a slow pace (Seven of Coins). Enjoy your time with those nearest and dearest to you (Two of Potions), and give yourself space to grow (Page of Coins).

Take Away:  What I am being called to create right now isn’t about manifesting a physical item in the world, but rather I am being called to create space within my life for growth, and patience to allow that growth to take place by spending time building my relationships with those I love rather than focusing on pushing forward and rushing things.

DECK USED:  EVOLUTION TAROT

Brush Your Teeth

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I’m a bit behind in my posts and I didn’t write out the meditation part on Thursday like I should have.  I have no real memory of actually meditating, let alone the method I used… although I do know that I did do it. Sooo yeah.   I should have written out the meditation part when I wrote out the card of the day part and the rest of my notes that I took down on Thursday.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is the Two of Water (Two of Cups) which is traditionally interpreted as a representation of connections and unity, partnerships, and other relationships where people connect on an emotional or creative level and work well together.

What I see in this card today doesn’t have anything to do with Antlia or about the Two of Water (although it does tie into that theme, which I’ll explain).   When I saw this card today, the immediate thought that came to mind was “BRUSH YOUR TEETH!”

Now, how I see this tying into the Two of Cups theme is that you just can’t connect with people on a meaningful level when your hygiene and grooming is driving them away.  It just doesn’t work.  A miasma of bad breath or body odor will, under damned near any circumstance, drive away anyone you would normally have an opportunity to connect with or work with.

The message in today’s card, then, is one of self care.  It’s about keeping up on physical self care.  Not just the showering and brushing of teeth, but all the multitude of little things that keep you presentable and approachable to others.   You can’t expect to connect with others if you’re unwilling to put in the effort  on your end as well.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m so overwhelmed.
Question:  How can I learn to care more about pleasing myself than pleasing others?

Midcenturian Tarot

Reading Summary: There is a double message here from the Justice card… 1)  do they really deserve it? 2) Balance is needed in order to obtain progress (Knight of Pentacles) and accomplishment (King of Wands)

Take Away: The first message from the Justice card is about being more mindful both about of others pleasure or need, and if those things really outweigh my own. The second message is about examining the motivation behind why you are putting others needs before your own. This hearkens back to yesterday’s read, and self neglect being one of my methods of self-destructive behavior. By putting other’s wants and desires above my own, I tear down my own potential for progress and accomplishment.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Question:  What I Can Change / What I Can’t Change

Slavic TarotWhat I Can Change – Strength – Myself. I can change myself and how I handle things. By remembering to bring forth inner resources and outer strength, I can better deal with struggle and strife, and better overcome the challenges that confront me along my path.

What I Can’t Change – Justice – On the other hand, what I can’t change is the universal need for balance in the world. This is a part of life. Everything evens out in the end one way or another.  This is a major part of my faith, the belief in this balance and constant adjustments that take place in order to continue to keep things in balance all of the time.  This has to do with everything from Karma to the give and take of nature, and everything else in between and beyond it.  It is truly a universal truth.

DECK USED:  SLAVIC TAROT

The Nature of Things

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Today’s meditation was skipped.  This is because I pulled an all-nighter last night with L packaging orders to ship out today.  We didn’t finish until nearly six in the morning.  At which point I went to bed to sleep and woke up just in time to haul ass to go get the packages out in the mail before the last mail truck left.  So… I didn’t get to either my yoga/physiotherapy or my meditation today, and I’m sure to pay for it for a couple of days to come.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is the Eight of Air (Eight of Swords) which is traditionally a representation of… well essentially, being in your own way and/or blinding yourself to your own obstacles and as a result making things more difficult than they have to be.  It’s all about getting in your own way, and all of the ways in which that can play out.

This is not what I see in this card, though. At all. I’m actually a bit confused by my reaction to this card as I’m struggling with the color combinations, which I find a bit disorienting.

What I see in this card today is in the imagery of the fox and the goose.  It is a display of one’s inner nature, much like the old fable of the frog and the scorpion.  It feels like a warning, although I’m not entirely sure what the warning is about.

So I would say that the message in today’s card is about making sure you are paying attention to the world around you, and those that surround you.  If something seems off and out of place? Pay attention. Be aware when people’s actions are not matching the energy you feel coming from them.   Don’t discount it as a fluke or unimportant.  It’s not as inconsequential as you would like to believe.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m so overwhelmed.
Question: What can I do to release my fear of saying no?

Midcenturian Tarot

Reading Summary: Embrace the natural cycles of life (Ten of Swords) instead of fearing them (The Moon). Focus on developing your skill at regulating output and practice some patience (Temperance).

Take Away:  I’ve had a bit of a stalker thing going on with the Temperance card lately, and I wonder if this is the message that the card is trying to convey.  It is a message about honing my regulating and moderation skills, and incorporating patience to do so.  This is especially important in the saying “no” to adding too much onto my plate at once.

Add to that the need to get a handle on the trepidation that I feel when it seems something might be coming to an end.  I try and sustain too much because I want to keep going what is before me and try new things and develop new possibilities.  The problem is, when you preserve one while still working on adding and growth at the same time?  Your plate fills up super fast.

Together these two messages indicate a need to learn how to decide on what “phase out” and what to keep going.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Question:  Where do I need to focus on directing more gratitude?

The Fifth TarotReading Summary: When you’re feeling overwhelmed by choices (Seven of Shells), don’t just toss in the towel and walk away (Eight of Shells Rx).  Instead stick around and weather through the storm (Apprentice of Feathers), and allow Gideon to help support you through these times (Elementor of Shells).

Take Away:  The support that Gideon provides me in my day to day life is what I need to focus more gratitude toward at this time. He is there for me every day, and in any way that I need him.  All I ever need to do is reach out, and there he is, ready and not just willing to help, but eager to help. He is my comfort, my anchor, my rock… and he is the calm in the storm when I am feeling overwhelmed and struggling with my own inner demons… or the outer ones as well.

I feel that I often come off as ungrateful for all of these things.  Too wrapped up in my own shit, I forget to look up and look outward, and to acknowledge how much he loves me and how very invested he is in me.. in my life.  In anything and everything I need from him.  I am so very lucky.  And so very grateful.  I wish I was able to express it better, but I will continue to try to both notice these things more… and express my gratitude more clearly and more often.

DECK USED:  THE FIFTH TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  sharpen // soften

Student Tarot v4 Godard's BirdsSharpen – Page of Wands – Now would be a good time to sharpen your focus upon those things that inspire you and create within you a spark of curiosity.  Experiment and explore the ideas that kindle your inner spark, and release those that can’t hold up to that sharper focus.

Soften – Queen of Swords and Eight of Pentacles – Stop judging yourself and your work so harshly.  Use your keen intellect to find potential outlets for your skills that will be of benefit instead of standing on the fence and waffling because your inner critic is having a heyday in your head.

DECK USED:  STUDENT TAROT v4 GODARD’S BIRDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:  What do I feel when I work on something creative?

Psychopomp Tarot

Reading Summary: Release (Ten of Wands Rx and Three of Swords Rx) and the birth of positive emotion in its place (Ace of Cups).

Take Away:  There is a release in being creative. When I have pent up creative energy, it becomes a burden of sorts.  A struggle of tamped down and clogged up energy that builds in pressure within me. When I create something new and allow my creative spark freedom to play, it releases this tension in my chest and it is like opening up a special part of my soul to breathe.

At the same time, this release can also be emotional, as when I create there is an element of emotion to it. A letting go of doubts and worries and inner judgements in order to instead wallow in potential and energies that feel positive and pleasing.

In both of these types of release, there is then an opening for something else to sweep in.  And when I am enjoying my creative process, what sweeps in to replace these unpleasant sensations, emotions, and energy… are feelings of positivity.  Emotional positivity that is new and bright and shiny, and not yet touched by or tarnished by the unpleasant effects of my inner critic’s negative dialogue.

DECK USED:  PSYCHOPOMP TAROT

Choosing Freedom

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped because I chose to oversleep and then had to scramble to get my ass up and moving in order to get everything done that I need to get done today.  I will try to do it before bed tonight, and then get back on track with morning meditations starting tomorrow.

Cosmos Tarot and Oracle - Ten of FireToday’s draw is the Ten of Fire (Ten of Wands) which is traditionally a representation of burden and overwhelm of responsibilities or obligations.   It is a card filled with feelings of hard work that have turned into drudgery.

I actually do not see any of that in this card’s imagery, or really in the key words either, for that matter.  In fact, what I see in the imagery of this card has more to do with release and freedom. This is depicted twofold in this card’s imagery.   First, through the releasing of the birds to find their flight and freedom in the sky.  And second, in releasing the birds, the woman in the card is also released from the responsibility of caring for them and thus free of her burden of responsibility.

The message in this card is an encouragement to release some of my own burdens, and this is something that I’ve actually made the decision to do and, in fact, have already put in motion the process of doing.   I’m taking a week off from the business.  I’ll still be working at the farm and the salon, but I will not allow either of them to increase my hours during this week either.     I need to step back and take some breaths of fresh air away from the constant cycle of work that the business creates.

I need a break, and I’m going to allow myself to take it.

DECK USED:  COSMIC TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m struggling with self-worth.
Question: Do my issues with self-worth require professional attention? How can I set my shame or guilt aside enough to more easily approach these issues with my therapist?

Midcenturian Tarot

Do my issues with self-worth require professional attention? – Three of Wands beneath The Chariot – You’re already on this path. You have direction and control in this moment over these issues and your therapist has given you the tools needed to prepare you as you move forward along your path.

How can I set my shame or guilt aside enough to more easily approach these issues with my therapist? – Two of Pentacles and Two of Swords – When you have need of your therapist’s help, you need to weigh your options and make a choice to do something about it instead of hanging back and waffling.

Take Away: Yes. Sometimes I need help with my self esteem issues.

Depression, which is my mental health issue predilection, is said to be hatred turned upon the self, and this is true in my personal experience.  Not that self hatred turned on the self creates depression, but that depression creates the cycle that turns hatred inward on yourself. At these times, I do need professional help.

Sometimes?  The depression sneaks up on me at a slow creep, and while I have an inkling of an idea that it’s coming or even has arrived, I waffle on getting help too long and slide into a deep pit of a depressive episode as a result.   A better choice is to not waffle, but call right away as soon as the first hint of what’s coming is noticed.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic:  Act on This / Let this Rest

Veleda Woods TarotAct On This – Five of Cups – Work at letting go of your apathy and inner dissonance. Do not allow yourself to sink into these feelings, as they are not good for you and will hinder your path forward.  Instead, focus on rising above and finding the “sunlight through the clouds”.  There’s just as much good in the world as there is bad, so turn your attention from the “broken stems” in life and look for the good instead.

Let This Rest – Harvester of Swords Rx and The Devil – It’s time to lay off  a bit on shopping for your addiction. You have lots of preorders and kickstarters coming over the next few months, as well as orders that have not yet come in due to shipping delays. This does not necessarily mean cutting yourself off entirely as that would create a sense of deprivation and resentment, but it’s time to ease back for a bit.

DECK USED:  VELEDA WOODS TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  within // without

Student Tarot 4 Godard's BirdsWithin – Wheel of Fortune – You need to focus on being centered and more adaptable.  Don’t allow inner chaos to take hold and run rampant.  Do what you need to in order to keep yourself balanced and centered.

Without – Empress and The Lovers – Take time to appreciate all of the nurturing and love that you receive from others, and most especially from Gideon.  There is a great deal of love in your life, directed at you every single day in so many different ways.  Don’t take this for granted, but instead accept that love and nurturing care, and enjoy it rather than ignoring it or disregarding.

DECK USED:  STUDENT TAROT v4 GODARD’S BIRDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What moment from today do I feel is memorable?

Women of Science Tarot

Reading Summary: My decision (Five of Micro) to do something different (The World) and prioritize my inner knowledge and needs above my outer ones (The High Priestess).

Side Note:  The interpretation of these three cards is based off the imagery on the cards rather than their tarot meanings. In some cases, there is some overlap, especially in the third card… I just wanted to point out that in this case I wasn’t paying attention to the suits and traditional meanings.

Take Away:  I mentioned this in my COTD analysis, but I made the decision today that even though I’m not going anywhere, I’m going to put my shops / business on hold for a week and just take some time away from it to get a little distance and perspective. This is an extremely difficult decision for me, but I’ve already put everything in place and my “vacation” will start tomorrow after I’ve dropped off all my packages at the post office.

DECK USED:  WOMEN OF SCIENCE TAROT