playing card reading

Morning Bonus Read – Extreme Points

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Winter Solstice is approaching– only a couple weeks to go! This week, we begin looking toward one of the two most extreme points of the year– the longest night– and the upcoming return of the sun. ”

Christmas Playing Cards by US GamesIn the current absence of the sun, what is something in your life that may be approaching its most extreme point?
Eight of Hearts

The need to run away from the chaos and find a balanced  and safe place of refuge.  As the Solstice approaches, I find myself more and more ready for the end of the holiday rush to arrive.

How is this affecting you emotionally right now?
Seven of Hearts

I’m scattered and struggling, confused and having a hard time. There’s so much to do and so much going on, and I’m feeling overwhelmed.  The more overwhelmed I get, the more eager I am for the approach of that change to come.

How is this affecting you physically right now?
Three of Diamonds

I’m needing help from others to keep myself physically healthy right now. It’s hard to remember to eat, and it’s hard to stay on track with even the normal things like getting in regular showers, let alone other self-care things, exercise, and time outside for fresh air.   There’s just so little time.  Those that live with me help with the work, and they help with keeping me on track in other ways to keep me healthy and well.

How is this affecting you mentally right now?
Seven of Spades

I feel like any time I spend even a few minutes away from keeping up with my work and the holiday rush, I’m stealing that time from what really needs to be done. Stealing something I can’t afford and is undeserved.  I know that isn’t true, but that is the guilt that whispers through my mind whenever my hands aren’t filled with wire and pliers, or other things that need to be done.

How is this affecting you spiritually right now?
Six of Diamonds

I’m regressing into old (and unhealthy) habits.   The longer the holiday rush goes on, the more I am regressing.  I understand that I will be better able to return to my healthier new habits more easily this time, having done it before in the past… but at the same time?  I am aware that I’m regressing and feel helpless to keep it from happening in the moment.

DECK USED: CHRISTMAS PLAYING CARDS BY US GAMES

Morning Bonus Read – A New Month

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“This month I want us to focus on our goals. I thought this would be a great tarot spread for the rest of this month :)”

Tarot of Light and ShadowYou at the beginning of this month.
Ace of Serpents atop Eight of Cups

At the beginning of this month you were preparing for the holiday rush and all of the bounty that I was hoping would drop into my lap with extra orders rolling in.  Because of the pandemic, I was uncertain (water in the Ace of Serpents) that I would manage to draw in the orders and income that needs to come in at this time of year to make sure that the rest of the year runs smoothly.  At the beginning of the month I had become to realize that abundance is smiling upon me and diving headlong into the alternate reality that the holiday rush holds me within for six weeks or so out of each year.

Three defining events of this month.

Ten of Wands – Overwhelm and potential burn out.  This is the result of that six month race of too many orders and too little time.  It is inevitable, but can be mitigated a bit to ease its effects by trying to fit in some self care.

Judgement Rx – Am I doing well enough?  Is it going to be enough? Am I going to be enough? Am I doing enough? This time of year is filled with these worries and doubts. There is no way to tell while in the middle of the fray, but these worries drive me forward to work harder and harder, push more and more.

Two of Serpents Rx – There is no balance.  None. It’s something that is struggled with even when things are quiet and smoothly running.  But now is not a time of quiet and smooth, but chaotic and overwhelming.  There is no balance, just as there is no balance every year for these six weeks.  All you can do is do your best to keep moving forward, and eventually restore that balance once the rush is over.

Three defining characteristics of this month.

Six of Swords – A constant focus on the fact that this won’t last forever.  A constant focus on moving forward and riding the wave. A consistently repeated reminder over and over again that this stress and strain and overwhelm is not forever… just for this moment, and that it will soon be over.

The Wheel – There is a lot of uncertainty that comes with the month of December, and a lot of ups and downs because of that uncertainty. In this case, though… things are looking good and the upswing is a beautiful thing.  Needed.  Sooner or later what comes up must always come down tho, so watch out for the downswing that will eventually show up.  Probably next month.

Ace of Wands – The holiday rush is very literally the “seed” of my passion and drive. The business is my drive, my intent, my focus, my goal, and the white hot spark of my ambition.  The holiday rush funds necessary aspects of this endeavor, giving my goals and drive the funds needed to continue forward into the next year.

You at the end of this month.
Ten of Cups

Contentment and relief at having made it to the end.  Pleasure and a breath of fresh air for my emotions now that I can bring them back to the surface once again.  A chance to enjoy the good stuff in life again, including all those things that make me happy and connect again with Gideon and my loved ones. And a bit of an opportunity for some rest (the cup tipped on its side).

DECK USED: TAROT OF LIGHT AND SHADOW (LIGHT CARDS ONLY)

Morning Bonus Read – Distractions

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“A fun one for this week! But be aware, accidental shadow work can be done with this one 😅”

Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer Playing Cards1. Ten of Clubs atop Seven of Diamonds – Your habit for piling on too much responsibility on yourself and too many projects makes it difficult to stay the course without getting distracted. There’s always so much to explore and to do, and you always seem to think you have a bigger plate to pile things on than you actually have.  It’s hard to “stay the course” with the long term projects sometimes with so many different things trying to tug on your attention at one time.

2. Four of Hearts atop Six of Diamonds –

One of those things you need to make sure you are staying focused on is your meditation practice. Every time you skip this practice, you facilitate bad habits perpetuated by your past.  Instead of allowing your past and the bad habits that have grown from there to dictate your life and your well-being, work harder on staying focused on the things that help you to be better.. feel better… and be healthier.  Your meditation is at the top of this list and should not be ignored.

3. King of Spades – All that crap that you want to put on your plate but have no room for isn’t as important as you think it is. Strategizing can only take you so far.  Let it go… let the task master that demands more of yourself every single day ease up a bit. You’re not allowing yourself enough time to breathe.

DECK USED: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER PLAYING CARDS

Morning Bonus Read – Weekly Contemplation

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“This week, let’s take a minute to breathe and talk with our divination tools about this holiday time.”

Favole Playing Cards by Victoria FrancesWhat am I grieving the loss of this week?
Four of Diamonds

That stability that I am so constantly craving more of.  With the holiday rush now fully upon me, there’s very little stability to be had as the world whirls around me in a chaotic cacophony of demands for my attention, all of which can’t be ignored.

What am I doing to protect my world and make it better this week?
Queen of Clubs atop Eight of Clubs

I am using my enthusiasm for that stability and security I crave to ride the energy of that chaos through the storm. This is something I have done year after year and am experienced at, and with every year that passes it’s more busy… and more fruitful.  I need to give myself over to the wild ride.

How can I partake in community and giving and accepting support from my loved ones this week?
Ten of Spades atop Queen of Hearts

(Just sayin’, but that Queen of Hearts looks like a young Z.  I mean.. wow.)
Okay, that aside.  Although the holiday rush requires physical support from my loved ones, it’s their emotional support that is really important right now even beyond the physical efforts they’re making to help me out with the business.  Gideon, Z, and L are my lifelines and I need to remember to share with them how I’m feeling rather than closing it up inside where it will fester and crush me into the dirt.

What do I have to be thankful for this week?
King of Diamonds

The holiday rush creates one big huge gigantic boon and the King of Diamonds clearly expresses exactly what that is.  The money is rolling in and that is… so fucking great.

DECK USED: BICYCLE FAVOLE PLAYING CARDS BY VICTORIA FRANCES

Morning Bonus Read – Difficulties

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Difficulties Tarot Spread - The Lunatic Tarot

What is difficult right now?
Ace of Wands

Keeping my motivation up and running when there’s so much to do and so little time.  It becomes frustrating to feel continuously like you’re falling behind only to have a moment of “Oh, I’m caught up” show up now and then for a moment long enough to get one deep breath before the race continues.

What can I learn from this struggle?
Judgement

Sometimes it makes me feel like I want to just set it all aside and walk away, and then I remember why I’m doing all this and it helps me stay the course. It’s about independence, and being able to live my life on my terms how I want to live.

What will help me move through it?
Knight of Wands atop Seven of Swords

Strategy and cunning carried forward on my desires for what I want to accomplish.  This is about determination and willpower, and the clever cunning to find a way to do it no matter what.  My skill at making sure I come out on top, even while being carried through the most violent of rapids, is what will help me move through this time of lack of motivation and struggle with my inspirational spark.

What do I have to look forward to?
Four of Cups

Soon enough you’ll have time to rest and recover and meditate and enjoy all that off time again that you were struggling to get used to in the summer.  And… you’ll probably struggle with again when the opportunity returns.

DECK USED:  THE LUNATIC TAROT

Morning Bonus Read – Personal Expectations

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“This week, let’s chat about our expectations of ourselves, especially during this busy time of the year.”

Ouija Playing Cards by HasbroWhat is one expectation I have of myself right now that is unhealthy?

Ten of Diamonds atop King of Hearts – That I can shoulder everything and not crack emotionally under the pressure like a dropped egg.  I am not the King of Hearts, and I do not do well under too much pressure, especially if my emotions become involved.  With my emotions at a higher level due to the emotional growth I’ve been fostering all spring and summer and the vulnerability that new growth has created, there is a risk of that shell being even more fragile than usual.

What is one expectation I have of myself right now that is healthy?

Ten of Hearts – Allowing my emotions to have free reign rather than being neatly boxed off and walled up for the next five to six weeks.  This seems counter intuitive to what is said in the advice above about what is unhealthy, and yet what this indicates is not that it is opposing advice, but rather that I need to find a better way of dealing with these emotions than closing them up in a dark cage in the basement.

How should I shift the unhealthy expectation into a healthy one?

King of Clubs – Use your drive and vision to motivate you into finding and using this better way of doing things.  New methods for old habits are hard for everyone, but you need to remember what you’re goals are… and that you can’t reach them unless you make these changes for the better.

Where should I look for support to make that change in my expectations?

Six of Clubs atop Queen of Clubs –  From those in your life that both admire you and inspire you.  With a foundation of admiration and moral support under your feet, you can take the inspiration that they create in you and carry it forward, even when things feel new, unsteady, vulnerable, or difficult.  That support system is there for you when you need it as long as you’re willing to reach for it.

DECK USED: OUIJA PLAYING CARDS BY HASBRO