optimism

What’s Actually Enough?

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Reitekina Tarot's The Tower card and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Tower card combined with the affirmation “Just do your best. It will be enough.”

I have mentioned issues with the “do your best” affirmations in the past, and I can assure you that my feelings have not changed on this matter. Although, I *did* see a comment the other day that puts things in a slightly different perspective… or maybe not.

It said that if you only have 40% of your normal energy to give, then at that that time if you are giving that 40% in effort? You’re giving 100%.

I’m not sure if that works with “doing your best” though, as “your best” implies an overall track record than an in the moment capability in my opinion.

Alright, so, tangent aside. My “best” usually amounts to overextending myself to the brink of overwhelm and burn out, which is where The Tower card comes into the equation in today’s cards. It says that if you push into hard, there could be catastrophic consequences as a result. Thus, the message for today is that it’s okay to not pour your best into every single thing you do. Sometimes less than your best is absolutely enough.

DECK USED: REITEKINA TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question for August 28th : Does luck (good or bad) actually exist?

Photo-Aug-28-2024,-1-24-29-PMSummary: It’s a game of balance (Two of Pentacles) that has nothing to do with you (Four of Cups) other than how you react to it (Ace of Wands Rx).

Take Away: Good luck and bad luck exist because that’s how we perceive the universe keeping everything in balance around us and in our lives.

It’s not really an intentional act upon us any more than sunlight bouncing off a wall to shine in our eyes is an intentional act upon us to force us awake.  The perception of taking offense (or boon) from these pendulum like swings of balance is our own perception, but not necessarily based in the reality of what’s actually happening.

That doesn’t mean that the back and forth swing isn’t happening, though.  Just that we are taking it far more personally than it actually is.

Other elements included in this reading:
Freshly Gathered Basil for Spiritual Clarity
Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE RAVEN’S DREAM TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I spent a bit of time dawdling in bed with Miss Luna earlier today, just enjoying the feel of relaxing and watching the leaves on the oak tree outside rustle in the breeze.

How We Grow

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Steampunk Faeries Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Ace of Wands combined with the affirmation “Just a gentle reminder – feeling stressed out ≠ being incapable. Anxiety lies about what you can handle.”

Today’s cards are a reminder that sometimes the things that you are most passionate about will not come easily to you. They’ll require hard work and stress and maybe even a bit of overwhelm and burn out to accomplish…. and that’s okay.

Just because it’s hard doesn’t mean it’s not meant to be yours. It means that in working toward these things, you are leveling up in your skills and abilities.  Learning new things, exploring new talents yet to be honed and developed, and obtaining new skills. Not everything in life is meant to come easily… and that’s how we grow.

DECK USED: STEAMPUNK FAERIES TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for August 24th, 26th, and 27th

Steampunk Faeries Tarot - Wheel of Fortune, Justice, Four of Wands, TemperanceWhere in life do I need to be serious and buckle down?

Temperance – Keep your theme of financial moderation going. One of the ways that you chase your dopamine fix is through spending money on the things that you enjoy. It’s hard to not give into impulses, but you’re actually getting somewhere with that moderation you started in the spring. Keep it going for a while longer and reap the benefits that will come as a result.

As an adult, where do I take myself too seriously?

Wheel of Fortune – You don’t need to brace yourself every time there’s a shift or change in your life. Change is not always the end of the world, but often can be something uplifting that provides opportunity for better. So stop taking each change that comes your way so seriously and work at going with the flow instead.

How can I ease up in this area where I take myself too seriously?

Justice atop Four of Wands – Take care that you aren’t “cutting off your nose to spite your face”. When changes happen, look beyond your initial reaction of what might make you feel safe and warm, and see what’s beyond the first step to what’s coming after as a result of your actions if you go down that path.

DECK USED: STEAMPUNK FAERIES TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what my self kindness was for the day.

Finding the Positive for August 23 – 25

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Body Health Oracle, Listening to Flowers Oracle, Your Feelings Are Valid Oracle, , Wisdom for Wee Ones Cards, and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate Allan

August 23 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Lymph Nodes card combined with the affirmation “Please take time to recharge yourself today.”

Right.  SO… this morning, a friend of mine woke up blind in one eye.  As in, went to bed with a migraine, and woke up with one eye completely not working. Not even registering a bit of light.  Nada.  Nothing.

As you might imagine, today was filled with medical professionals, waiting rooms, tests, and leading my friend around by the hand all day, guiding them into chairs, etc. (At the end of the day? Still no answers, incidentally, if you were wondering. They’ve been referred to a specialist in ophthalmological neurology.)

The message in today’s cards?  Even when you’re putting your all into fighting the good fight?  You have to rest sometimes.  Make sure, that even in times fraught with stress and too much to do in too little time, that every once in a while you step away and take a few breaths, even if you have to do it while sitting on the can in the restroom somewhere. Those occasional few minutes and deep breaths are important.

DECK USED: BODY HEALTH ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

August 24 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Wild Oat card combined with the affirmation “Some days are awful, but they always end.”

Yesterday was yesterday. Today is a new day. Don’t let the shit show and stress of yesterday make today’s plans less enjoyable or your confidence crumble.

Although it’s possible not a single thing got resolved yesterday? It doesn’t mean the stress and mess has to carry into today.  Sometimes, you have to leave your stress in the past, take a breath, and move forward. The Wild Oat card says to be open to all that will manifest, acknowledge that what you put into the world is an expression of empowerment, and follow your unique path forward while trusting that you’re headed in the right direction.

In other words? Don’t let yesterday’s shit show make you lose faith in yourself.  Don’t worry that you might end up swerving off course as a result of what’s going on.  Just breath, let go of the anxiety, and trust that it will work out if you just remain true to yourself and who you are.

DECK USED: LISTENING TO THE FLOWERS ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

August 25 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Today’s card is the Overwhelmed card combined with the affirmation “To value wisdom over ignorance is the path to happiness.”

Confession. I hate politics. I mean… really hate them. I hate the polarization.  I hate the social sheep mentality.  I hate how it brings out the worst in people, most especially their willful ignorance and how the media feeds on pushing that willful ignorance further and further in society.

With the US Pres election coming up combined with the fact that I spend a lot of time in doctors offices listening to a wide range of chatting among those sitting in waiting rooms? I get to see just how willfully ignorant people are.

They hear what they want to hear, they believe what they want to believe, then “know the facts” that they want to know.  None of them are happy.  They bitch and moan, gripe and snipe and complain. They assign blame, personality traits (and flaws), and even actions to people they don’t know, have never met, and will never meet.

Today’s cards echo my feelings on all of those.  Overwhelm, and a wish that we could have a way to receive “just facts” rather than conjecture.  A way to weed out the bullshit and emotion in order to see things clearly.   For me?  That means sometimes I need to slip my earbuds in and tune them out, because it’s the only way to let go of the overwhelm listening to them creates and allow calm to take its place… even if just for a bit at a time.  That little bit at a time makes things better.

DECK USED: YOUR FEELINGS ARE VALID ORACLE AND WISDOM FOR WEE ONES CARDS

Accruing Value

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Healer's Dream Oracle and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Raven Spirit card combined with the affirmation “It’s okay if you’re not where you want to be yet; it’s already impressive how far you’ve come.”

For the second day in a row,  I’ve somehow managed to pull a Raven. Today’s raven has its wings spread as it sores in the sky.  Combined with the affirmation for the day, these cards are a reminder that accomplishments are gained not at the finish line, but with each step we take along the journey.

Yes, the finish line is often the prize, but it’s not where value comes from in one’s journey. That value lies in the experiences and knowledge gained along the way. So don’t worry if you haven’t hit that goal you’ve been aiming for yet, it just means you are being given time to accrue more value along the way.

DECK USED: THE HEALER’S DREAM ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Questions for August 22nd and 23rd

Adorable Cat Tarot's Four of Cups and Seven of Pentacles, and Gypsy Lore Fortune Telling Cards c 1930As an adult, where am I neglecting myself at this time?

Seven of Pentacles and Business – You are leaning too far into letting things go at their own pace and grow slowly where your business is concerned. Without some more consistent maintenance to drive things forward, you will not continue to succeed as you have in the past.

How can I begin to resolve this pattern of neglect?

Four of Cups Rx and Worry – Worry less and work more. Stop retreating into yourself, and avoiding work in the process. When you worry, instead of hiding away and trying to seclude yourself in a habit of protection, use the energy from that anxiety to be active and get things done.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Mookaite Acorn for Help with Weighing One’s Options
Agate Acorn for Mental Clarity and Creativity
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: ADORABLE CAT TAROT AND GYPSY LORE FORTUNE TELLING CARDS c.1930

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what my self kindness was for the day.

Not Replaceable

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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North American Animal Wisdom Oracle and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Common Raven card combined with the affirmation “You are important. You matter.”

Crows are clever, but ravens are brilliant.  YOU are brilliant. No one else thinks in the same way you do, no one else sees things in the same way you do.

Those around you depend on your unique perspective to supply new ideas and resolve puzzles in life they are struggling with.  Don’t forget how important you are to them, and how unique you are.

Don’t forget… you are not replaceable. No one else can take your place.

DECK USED: NORTH AMERICAN ANIMAL WISDOM ORACLE AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question for August 21st : Which is more real, mind or matter?

Tarot des Ambiguïtés Deck - High Priestess, Emperor, JudgementReading Summary: Intuition and knowing (La Papesse) that gets overrun by material concerns (L’Empereur) comes back to bite you in the ass in the end (Le Jugement).

Take Away: These cards say that it is the mind that creates reality, not matter, and that when you focus too deeply on matter, and prioritize it over the mind and knowledge, that in the end we are lost.

Rolled down into the purest sense, it is saying that knowledge holds more value than money or property, and thus the mind rules over reality with a stronger grip than matter.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Soothing Energies
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Shiva Shell Heart for Wisdom and Discernment

DECK USED: TAROT DES AMBIGUITES

Daily Self Kindness

This post is a catch-up post, and I’m not entirely sure what my self kindness was for the day.

Changing Behaviors

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Mystic Wilderness Tarot and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Ace of Wands combined with the affirmation “If you think something unkind towards yourself today, please apologize for it. You deserve fair treatment always, most especially from YOU.”

That nasty inner narrative inside your head is not real. It is not speaking the truth.  It can be extremely hard to tell it to fuck off, but at the same time? We need to remember to acknowledge the reality that it tries to build in your mind is, in fact, fictional.

Over the past couple years, I’ve poured a lot of effort and energy into this process, and today’s cards are a reminder that there’s still a long way to go. Don’t give up. Stay passionate about improving our own self treatment.  It’s important.

DECK USED: MYSTIC WILDERNESS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Question for August 20th : What do I need to focus on for self-care this full moon?

Messages from the Spirits of Nature Oracle and Mystic Wilderness TarotReading Summary: Now it’s not the time to share (Island) your great new ideas (Ace of Swords). Keep them to yourself for now, or you may end up experiencing what you often worried about (Nine of Swords); that is someone else coming along to take them from you (Seven of Swords).

Take Away: Close to the vest is best.

Although this isn’t always the case? For right now it absolutely is.  Keep your ideas to yourself and take some time to develop them on your own for now. There will be plenty of time later on to share once you’ve managed to create a steady foundation for them to flourish first.

DECK USED: MESSAGES FROM THE SPIRITS OF NATURE ORACLE AND MYSTIC WILDERNESS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I spoke up for myself today when I was feeling hurt by something someone said.  I took some time first to make sure that emotions had calmed, then pulled them aside and told them how I felt about their words and treatment.