Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Three of Swords (Air/Reed), which is traditionally a representation of depression, grief, and disappointments. This theme often seems strange to people, being that it is seated in the Swords suit (which is often all about intellect and the mind), but it is important to remember that how we react emotionally is often rooted in how we think and what expectations we create for ourselves before everything falls apart.

This card depicts the oppression of the Fir Bolg (Children of Builge) by the Druids.

The Three of Swords card has then been combined with the Purple Pinwheel affirmation card from the Mushroom Affirmations deck, which says, “Make yourself seen, no matter how small you think you are.”

Sometimes you have to make some noise, and even align with people that you may not normally align with, in order to be seen, acknowledged, and taken seriously. Sadly, it’s not always enough to try and stand alone, and you need the help of others with a louder voice than yours is.  In these times, the adage “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” rings true, and it can be beneficial to align with these others for a time to get done what needs done.  Just as the Fir Bolg teamed up with their enemies to force the Druids to acknowledge them.

The message in today’s cards is a reminder that sometimes you have to think outside the box… and connect outside the box, in order to be heard. There’s always going to be people out there that will tread all over your rights, boundaries, and needs if you let them.  These people will disappoint you again and again.  The key is to make sure you can enforce these boundaries and rights, and stand up for yourself.  Sometimes that means getting help from others that can help bolster your own voice.

DECKS USED:  CELTIC TAROT FATE OF THE NORNS AND MUSHROOM AFFIRMATIONS

The @owlandbonestarot #78DaysOfTarotSpreads Challenge
The Star Spread

What hope guides you?

Drymo – The hope that guides you is that the struggles and strife, woes and pains we go through in life actually have meaning and lift us up, providing us with the opportunity to become better, stronger, more enlightened souls.

Where does your inner light shine?

Amatheia – Your inner light shines brightest in those times when you stand strong for your values and defend those things and people that you deem worthy of self-sacrifice to protect.

How are you being called back to your true self?

Euarne – You spend far too much time bending and contorting to avoid the discomfort of change. Let go of your reluctance, and allow yourself to float and flow instead of fighting against the tide.

What path are you ready to follow?

Galene – In an echo of the previous card’s advice, you are ready to experience less struggle and less strife, while leaning into going with the flow more often. You’ve come to understand that fighting against the currents ushering you along your path only creates more struggle and more strife than what you’re already going through.

Other elements included in this reading:
Polar Bear Raku Medallion for Going with the Flow and Alacrity
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Predated-Upon Oyster Shell for Acknowledging Weaknesses
Shiva Shell for Wisdom and Discernment
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE NEREID ORACLE

@thetruthinstory #embracethemagical2025 Challenge
The Deep Prompts 25 thru 26 :

Blood (Lineage) – What flows in my veins that binds me to kin and story?

Cú Chulainn / Birch and Beaver – I read a book recently (How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World) that spoke about the life and death of forests. In this book, it mentioned the beaver and how, along with its creativity and unique industriousness, it is also a harbinger of destruction.

This is because the beaver blocks up waterways and sometimes starves certain areas of water while routing the water and other directions that feed the forest and other areas. This speaks to me of a foundation of give-and-take. There’s always good there’s always bad, and they play off of each other depending on the choices we make and the repercussions of those choices.

This theme carries into the story of Cú Chulainn and his choice as a child to take on the role of the blacksmith’s loyal guard dog after he killed the man’s dog.

Combined with these two factors is also the birch ogham, which is one of the tools that the beaver uses in his work, and joins the beaver in the first card to the story of Cú Chulainn in the second.

Take Away – What flows within your veins that binds you to your kin and their stories is ingenuity and industriousness combined with an innate need for fairness and balance. These things are a part of who you are that are inherited from those in your past that you may not have personally met, but whose blood still runs in your veins.

Cauldron (Alchemy) – What is being broken down, mixed, and transformed within me?

Ogma / Vine and Hedgehog – Ogma is the god of eloquence, poetry and speech. He is a warrior of great skill, but he has a tendency to use his words more than his sword.

When I see hedgehogs, they always appear so vulnerable to me. They have these tiny little fingers and toes, and the fact that they roll up in a ball to protect this soft little pink belly is adorable to me.

The vine ogham on the Celt card then connects the animal card to the Celt card, speaking of a need to cling to safety and protection.

Take Away – You are becoming more adept at expressing your vulnerabilities in ways that don’t leave you open for them to be used by others. This is allowing you to cling to your safety net a little less and be more open with others instead.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Scotch Pine Cone for Purging Negative Influences
Japanese Cherry Leaf as a Reminder of Life’s Fleeting Moments
Aragonite for Fostering Truth and Understanding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: CELTIC TAROT FATE OF THE NORNS AND SPIRIT ANIMALS JOURNEY INTO THE WILD ORACLE

I stayed away from home this afternoon to avoid the deafening noise of jack-hammering going on right outside my door today.