Mundane Magick Tarot

When Everything Falls Apart

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I didn’t feel like it, which… at the time felt like a valid excuse to skip it for the day, but now I realize that it’s not and I should have realized it from the start.  I just felt such a heavy lack of enthusiasm and dread about it that I had a “fuck it” reaction and didn’t do it.

Heaven & Earth Tarot - Ten of WandsToday’s draw is the Ten of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of feeling overwhelmed and/or overburdened.  It is about struggling under the weight of one’s projects and responsibilities.  I often end up getting this card as a warning when I am approaching burnout.

What stands out to me the strongest in this card’s imagery to day is the upraised hands.  It’s as if we have caught this man in that single moment when what was a neatly stacked and bundled collection of wands decides to go awry and spread out.  The hands then raise up in an “oh shit” to try and catch what has clearly decided to split, separate, and break free.

We all have times when everything is neatly in a row and then suddenly one of the ducklings goes off track and chaos ensues. It’s not always about having overburdened yourself… but about losing control of that burden unexpectedly.     The thing is?   That is also a form of overburdening… as it’s important to leave some wriggle room for when that moment of “awry” happens so that you can deal with it instead of it overpowering you.

DECK USED:  HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT

LionHart’s Elements Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: What am I asked to take with me moving forward?

Mundane Magick Tarot

Reading Summary: Let go of your perceived failings (Judgement atop Emergent of Coins Rx), while taking forward into the future your empowerment (The Magician) and hope (The Star).

Take Away:  It is hard to let go sometimes when you feel you’ve fucked up or suck at something. Or, at least it’s hard for me to let go of it.  Especially if the repercussions involve destabilizing my security or hurting someone else.  The key to a healthier future, though, is to remember that from these experiences you learn and obtain tools that help you in dealing with them better in the future, and do what you can to focus on the good you can do moving forward.

DECK USED:  MUNDANE MAGICK TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is your greatest vice you’re not consciously aware of?

Guardian of the Night TarotReading Summary: When finding myself at the end of a journey (Ten of Swords) and thus the beginning of a new one (Ace of Cups), I often fail to pause and take stock (Four of Pentacles Rx) before moving forward.

Take Away: I’m so constantly going full bore from one thing to the next that I often forget that I need to take a break and find my footing again between one adventure and the next one.

Instead, I move on from what has been finished and dive enthusiastically into the next, allowing my pursuit if enjoyment and pleasure to carry me away into the new “thing”, whatever that thing might be, without that necessary pause to take stock, restock, and find my balance before continuing on.

DECK USED:  GUARDIAN OF THE NIGHT TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I turned the water off for the sink and decided not to fuck with it today.  It was really frustrating me, as it’s still leaking.  It didn’t at first.  Not for the first few hours after I’d taken it apart and put it back together.  Then it started leaking again while we were doing the dishes.  So obviously… it’s not fixed.  I needed to step away from it for a bit, so I have decided not to deal with it today or tomorrow since it’s the weekend anyway so if I need to get hold of Moen, it won’t be possible until Monday at the earliest.

Reaching For The Light

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IMG_8900Today’s meditation was just under fifteen minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app with an added interval timer for my piriformis stretches.   Again, I was tempted to skip my meditation today, but I managed to push myself to do it anyway.

The topic of today’s meditation was about distancing yourself from your thoughts during your meditation practice so that you don’t fall down the rabbit hole of their sticky grip.  Instead, the guide offers the technique of labeling your thoughts when they arrive.  Essentially catching yourself and saying “thinking” and then allowing the thoughts to drift off.  Doing this each time so that you do not become emotionally or otherwise invested in the thoughts, but instead see them just as thoughts and then set them aside.

Bonestone & Earthflesh Tarot - Nine of CupsToday’s draw is the Nine of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of wallowing in one’s “feel good” feelings.  It’s about contentment and taking pleasure in one’s good fortune, as well as feeling emotionally satiated.  It can also be an indication of gluttony.

What stands out to me the strongest in this card’s imagery is that there is more than one person in the card and the figure on the stump appears to be sharing her wealth of goodness with those below.  Normally, this is a theme that I would expect to see in the Ten of Cups, as I usually consider the Nines of each suit lean more into solitary themes.

In absolute honesty, though, this looks a lot more like the Six of Pentacles to me.  But that’s just me.  It’s just that the imagery seems to lean so very heavily into sharing and generosity.  What is being shared here, though, is not money or resources.  It’s happiness, pleasure, positivity, and the sweetness of hope.  Those below reach for it, seek it out… and that is where the message lies in today’s card.  It’s not really about the figure on the stump… it’s about the people below.

Today’s message is about reaching for the positivity.  Don’t wallow in the dark.  Don’t sit on the sidelines and allow the negativity to have its way with you.  Instead… reach for the light.  Reach for the good, the positive and the hopeful.  It may seem out of reach, but it’s closer than you think.

DECK USED:  BONESTONE & EARTHFLESH TAROT

LionHart’s Elements Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: In what area am I asked to nurture myself right now?

Zolar's New Astrological Tarot

 Reading Summary: The anxiety and depression that you’re feeling (Nine of Swords) requires some nurturing (The Empress) and  that you seek out the positive as much as you can (Mercury) instead of focusing on the negative and letting it drag you down (Justice Rx).

Take Away: I’m currently struggling with what is starting to become clear is a clinical depressive episode at the moment. The cards here indicate that this is exactly the area where I need nurturing at the moment, and I need to make sure I’m leaning into self-care and self-kindness, as well as focusing on the positive and the light as much as possible in order to help in combating the darkness of the depression’s influences.

DECK USED:  ZOLAR’S NEW ASTROLOGICAL TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is a very positive thing in your life you are overlooking?

Mundane Magick TarotReading Summary:  You’ve done this before, again and again (Seven of Coins Rx atop The World).  You have all the skills, all the knowledge, all the tools that you need (The Magician) to make it through your depression and come out the other side (Death).

Take Away:  *Takes a breath.*   Yeah.  That’s true.  This is not the first time, and I can do this.  It’s not permanent, nor is it even especially long lasting.  It just needs to be worked through so that I can get to the other side of it and then move on from it.

Once the depression is over, perspectives will shift, experiences will shift…. life will shift.  And a whole different and lighter reality will take the place of where darkness currently exists.

DECK USED:  MUNDANE MAGICK TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I made a new character to play with Gideon instead of trying to burrow into myself and take a (not really needed) nap.  It’s something new so I don’t feel the pressure of trying to fit into the skin of an established character during a time when am barely fitting into my own skin.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

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Today’s meditation was subverted for a nap.  Apparently I needed the sleep more than I realized, as I was going to be doing a guided meditation and as soon as I settled in place… I dozed right off to sleep.   I will try to meditate again before bed.

Heaven & Earth Tarot - Nine of SwordsToday’s draw is the Nine of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of anxiety, insomnia, and struggling with one’s inner voice and worries.

I’ve always loved this card in a wide variety of decks.  It’s one that I relate to greatly.   What stands out the strongest in the imagery of this card today is the astronomical symbols on the blanket covering the woman in the image.  Or rather, it’s the style of artwork that allows for some of those symbols to be so crisp and precise, and others to be blurred or indistinct.

I understand that this was an artistic choice, and one that was probably not intended to convey a message.  And yet, to me… it does.  It speaks of allowing yourself not to worry so much about the little things.   It’s about that phrase “don’t sweat the small stuff” because perhaps these details are so small that many wouldn’t even notice them… and perhaps so unimportant that some wouldn’t pay attention.  And yet to the artist?  These detail are very important and a conscious choice was made not to make them so minutely detailed that they took up the focus of the image as a whole.

There’s always lots and lots of things to worry about in life, but we need to make sure we don’t get so focused on the small stuff that we forget to look at the big picture and allow ourselves to get a good night’s sleep at night.  Let go of some of the small stuff and all those micromanaging inclinations… take a breath and relax.

DECK USED:  HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT

LionHart’s Elements Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: What am I asked to do about elements within myself that don’t support my plans?

Mundane Magick Tarot

 Reading Summary: Go on your merry way (The Fool) after the things that light your fire (Pupil of Lighters), and don’t allow your responsibility to others (Forecaster of Coins) to overwhelmed you (Ten of Lighters).

Take Away:  This isn’t about ignoring those elements within myself that hold me back, but rather allowing my enthusiasm to overpower them and weigh that enthusiasm as having far more weight than the responsibilities that try to drag me down.   In other words… beware the burnout that can happen when you let those that depend on you become a burden instead of an asset.

DECK USED:  MUNDANE MAGICK TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self-care during this new moon?

Future Vision Gem TarotReading Summary: Down moods and depression happens (Three of Swords). Use your strengths to rise above (Strength) and remember it’s only temporary (Wheel of Fortune).

Take Away: The whisper of my negative inner narrative has been flirting at the edges of my subconscious for about a week now.  The cards are a warning of the whispers that are trying to slip in and mess with my head.  They are a reminder than I am strong and I have tools at my disposal to help curb the coming depression into something more manageable.  They are also a reminder that these struggles are not permanent. They are temporary, and they will pass.

Depression often feels like it will never end, that you will never feel better and that this is feeling of depression is your existence for always.  Keeping in mind that it is temporary is an important part of making it through these times and to the other side.

DECK USED:  FUTURE VISION GEM TAROT

Creative Control

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Today’s meditation was sort of circumvented into a nap.  Okay, so there’s no “sort of” about it.  I settled in to meditate and promptly drifted off to sleep instead.  And I slept longer than I’d have liked (big surprise right?) so I haven’t tried to settle in for meditation since, because I wanted to get online and spend some together time.

Bonestone & Earthflesh Tarot - The DevilToday’s draw is The Devil card, which is traditionally a representation of temptations, addictions, and other types of unhealthy attachments that one inflicts upon oneself.

I like this depiction of The Devil with the Medusa hair.  Because, when I think of Medusa?  I think of how strong the temptation would be to look at her, even knowing the consequences… perhaps that temptation would be even stronger because of the consequences involved, because it makes it that much more forbidden.

The Devil stands on all of those that have come before and been unable to resist the temptation of taking a look… just a quick glance.  But in the Clash of the Titans mythos, Perseus finds a way to look at Medusa without suffering the consequences of the curse.

And there is the lesson in temptations, obsessions, and addictions.  Control and creativity.  You don’t have to give up the things that you love, but you do need to find a way to keep them under control and in a place of moderation.  Sometimes, this requires a bit of creative thinking to accomplish, but it’s possible.  Instead of creating a mindset of scarcity and deprivation by trying to “cut out” the things you enjoy that you get carried away with, find a way to moderate them and keep things in control and perspective.

DECK USED:  BONESTONE & EARTHFLESH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What in your life needs started now for it to be ready when you need it?

Zolar's New Astrological Tarot c.1973Reading Summary: Move away (Eight of Cups) from the urges towards impulsivity (Knight of Swords Rx), so that you can be in an advantageous position (Knight of Wands) when plans start to go sideways (Three of Wands).

Take Away: This isn’t so much about the planning itself going sideways as it is about how sometimes the best laid plans still go awry.  When that happens, if I prepare now I can have a “cushion” in place to deal with it and work through the issue more easily.

In order to prepare, though, I need to get a handle on my more impulsive tendencies and set them aside before they get out of hand and become harmful to me in the present as well as my future.

DECK USED:  ZOLAR’S NEW ASTROLOGICAL TAROT c.1973