new ideas

Courage and Encouragement

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long, and focused on how you react to stress.  It was an introductory guided meditation that I’ve started which will run over the next seven days.   The focus of this series of meditations is “Managing Stress”.

Halloween Tarot Today’s draw is the Ace of Bats with the Ten of Ghosts as a jumper.

The Ace of Bats (Swords) is traditionally a card of new inspiration and seeds of beginning in the area of intellect, ideas, thoughts, and communication.  This includes themes concerning breakthroughs, mental clarity, and potential.

The Ten of Ghosts (Cups) is traditionally a card dealing with endings and completion, a cycle reaching its end to begin again, renewals, and regeneration in the area of the emotions, relationships, and intuition.  This card is often known as the “happy family card” and commonly includes themes that have to do with blissful situations, harmony, and alignment with others.

When I saw today’s cards, there was a bit of an easing in my chest, but it wasn’t until I sat down and thought about what  I saw in them that I understand what this is about.   It’s about finding completion… and about that new idea that I’ve been working on lately.  The one that the cards encouraged me to keep silent on and that I have slowly been working on over the past month or two.

I’m very happy with the progress I made over the past couple of days, and what I am finding in these cards is reassurance that I’m on the right path.

Deck Used: Halloween Tarot

Bonus Reading

Another #TarotForGrowthOctober prompt.

Question: What is the root of my courage?

Reading Summary: The past experiences I have gone through (Six of Cups) have been a struggle that may at times steal my tranquility and require adaptation (Seven of Swords with Temperance), but in the end, these experiences are what allow me to grow and become stronger (Queen of Cups).

Take Away: Between the ex… and the ex’s friend.  The aspiring kidnapper of a stalker.  The car crashes and medical issues.   With each of these experiences, something within me breaks.  I am wounded by them.  Not just physically, but emotionally as well.    These experiences steal something from me, a little piece of me removed as if sliced away and spirited into the ether. 

And yet, it’s true what they say.  What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.  I am stronger for all these things.  I am stronger for surviving and choosing not just to survive, but to thrive.  These experience have created deep roots and a solid foundation on which to sit upon my throne.   Is there still more to learn?   Always.   But I am not fumbling in the dark as I may have been without each experience I have come through along the way.

And there you have it.  The root of my courage comes from the experiences I have lived through, and grown from.

Deck Used: Luis Royo’s Labyrinth Tarot

Seeding the Garden of New Ideas

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Like yesterday, my morning was a bit hectic and inconvenient today. So, I drew my card first thing when I got up to give myself focus and food for thought throughout my day, but didn’t have time to meditate until this evening.

Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes and forty-nine seconds, and focused on letting go. Whether that be negative feelings, or thoughts that keep one up at night, etc.

I didn’t think this one applied to me very much, but now that it’s over I feel… better. I’m not sure what I let go exactly, but I definitely feel lighter.

The woman’s voice on the guided meditation was so soothing that I caught myself dozing off a few times. I definitely need a nap.

Today’s draw is the Ace of Swords. In the suit of intellect, communication, and logic, the Ace represents new beginnings, fresh insights, and the discovery of new truths. It can also be a powerful encouragement concerning new intellectual endeavors, projects concerning communication, etc.

I can’t help but see a strong correlation between the appearance of this card and this new project we’ve embarked on with this blog.

I know you are seeing benefits from what I’ve begun here, and I think that I see some of them as well. I’m more aware of myself and my inner dialogue throughout the day than I was before. And, I truly believe that this project made a profound impact on how I surfaced from my depression this time around.

I feel more… hopeful, too. And there’s no denying the benefits to our relationship, as it has opened up channels of communication that, following a depression, are usually much more difficult, awkward, and uncomfortable to get opened back up. Not to mention usually taking quite a bit more time? I’m pretty sure that’s also the case, because although I don’t really remember that part of things (or at least not much of it), this time feels… accelerated. And yet not in an overwhelming way.

SO… wandering thoughts aside, I feel like this card is a reminder that this blog and what I’m doing here is a good thing. The card was also a bit of a prompt to really look at the benefits mentioned above as well.