Sins, Not Tragedies

Today’s meditation was a ten minute self-guided session based on an affirmation card that says, “You are important. You matter.”

•    •    •    ◈    •    🎃    •    ◈    •    •    •

The @GlitterbyInk #OctoberAlchemy26 Challenge
Bless Prompt for October 11th
: Gratitude
Daily Mental Health Prompt
: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Agatha All Along Tarot's Tower card and a card from Twist's Halloween Affirmations Deck

Today’s draw is The Tower card, which is traditionally a representation of sudden change, chaotic transformation, destruction, and the tearing down of something within one’s life or beliefs that leaves room for something new to take its place.

When you think back on your life and those catastrophic “shit happens” moments, do you look back with unhappiness and resentment for what you lost? Or with gratitude for the change in direction these moments caused that have lead you to the good stuff in your life now?

We all have regrets. We all make mistakes. We all have things happen in our lives that are out of our control.

The message on today’s Tower card and Gratitude prompt is a reminder that how we look at these instances and situations influence our perspectives on the present and where we are now. Today’s message encourages us to seek out the positives in these situations so that they can lift us up, instead of focusing on the negatives that will drag us down.

DECK USED:  AGATHA ALL ALONG TAROT AND TWIST’S HALLOWEEN AFFIRMATIONS DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2026 Challenge
Prompt for October 11th
: Do Spread 2
Question for October 10th
: Buried Alive – What in your past needs dug up and dealt with?

Tarot Reading with the All Hallow's Tarot and Halloween Postcards Set

Reading Summary: With the Nine of Discs reversed, the color connection between its title bar and the anchor card stands out and speaks of a cruel individual (anchor card) stealing one’s joy (Nine of Discs Rx).

There is also a color correlation between the wands in the Nine of Wands card and the skin tone in the Hanged Man that connects up to the anchor card’s orange hues. This communicates a need to stay on the defensive (Nine of Wands) and wait (Hanged Man) when cruelty is present (anchor card). The matching backgrounds in these two tarot cards reinforces the need for healthy boundaries while you watch and wait.

The halo of bones in the anchor card then connects in form to the hanging branches of the tree in the Hanged Man card, indicating that the waiting and watching aspect is extremely revealing, but may require more patience than you’re capable of managing in order to get the full picture.

Take Away: “I wish we could just keep Gid and get rid of that f’ing piss-ant Twist.” (Paraphrased… can’t remember the exact wording.)

It still hurts. At least fifteen years later, and the ache from those wounds still lingers. It isn’t the blow it once was, as I’m no longer the innocent I was back then. I’m not as trusting, and not as free with my friendships or my loyalties. And yet… for some reason, those words still sting.

This is the experience that taught me how important it is to look below the surface of other’s behaviors and pay attention to niggling warning signs instead of writing them off as idiosyncrasies. This experience mad a mess of me, reinforcing unhealthy assumptions and shattering a precious innocence and naivety that I’d previously viewed the world through. And sometimes, not always but sometimes, it still hurts.

Other elements included in this reading:
Green Jasper and Caribbean Calcite Turtle for Calm within Progress
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED:  ALL HALLOW TAROT AND TWIST’S HALLOWEEN POSTCARDS ORACLE

One Card Tarot Journal Activity by @mariasofia_astro
Chapter 2 | Entry 12 – Love and Relationships
Affirmation : “I am an attractive person who magnetizes love.”
Prompt : What is a self limiting thought or belief you have about yourself? Use the cards more challenging qualities to help answer this question. How can you release that thought/belief in order to attract love and tenderness? Use the cards more positive qualities to help reframe this thought or belief.

Tarot Activity from The One Card a Day Journal by Maria Sofia Marmanides - Poison Apple Tarot - The Tower

Self-Limiting Thought – “I’m not enough.”

What feelings came up when I pulled this card?

Do I really care about this? Or is this something I only think that I need?

What elements of the card’s meaning resonate with me and this prompt?

Challenging Aspects – I am self destructive. This may not be a part of my nature, but it’s a behavior that the depression I’ve been experiencing since childhood has ingrained within the crevices of my soul.

Positive Aspects – I am aware. I’m aware of my self-destructive tendencies, and I’m aware of my addictive inclinations. I am self aware enough to catch myself and pull myself back from the edge of doing irreparable harm to myself and my life.

What in the artwork spoke to me?

The scissors about to cut off the top of the dolly’s head. Ruining the toys you cherish, and regretting it later. The imagery speaks to me of the temptation to mar what gives joy so that it resonates with how you feel on the inside.

My prompt response and reflections.

In order to release “I’m not enough” thinking in order to attract love and tenderness, it’s important to lean into the self awareness of my self-destructive tendencies. It’s only in fighting back against them and resisting their allure that I can connect with others and receive their love and acceptance, as well as give myself the love and acceptance I need from myself as well. Closing myself off to this self awareness creates a spiral of destruction that ends in being utterly alone and without the love, acceptance and help I need when I need it most.

Other elements included in this reading:
Amber Resin D20 and Agate D6 Dice

DECK USED: POISON APPLE TAROT

@owlandbonestarot #OctoberinBetween Challenge
Prompts for October 11th

Tarot Reading with the Agatha All Along Tarot

Ask – Three of Pentacles – Ask for help. You don’t have to do this alone. There are others eager to be there by your side and lend their skills and expertise, their shoulders and their hands, to your cause.

Answer – Five of Swords – Allow yourself to be wrong. Sometimes when you ask for help, it opens you up to having to confront some of your least likeable qualities. That includes allowing yourself to be wrong about the things you -think- you know.

It means letting others show you there’s another way, another perspective, and that they might have an answer that works far better than your own. Don’t let pride get in the way of hearing what others have to say and the suggestions they may bring to the table.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
River Rock for Resilience within Life’s Flow
Honey Calcite for Optimism and Motivational Boost
Green Aventurine for Harmony and Balance of the Heart

DECK USED:  AGATHA ALL ALONG TAROT
Daily Self Kindness

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

Second Harvest 2023 – Autumn Equinox

Tomorrow is the Autumn Equinox.  This is considered by many to be the first day of Autumn, and is one of only two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the Equator, and that day and night are of equal length.  Like Halloween is a time when the veil between the land of the living and the realm of the dead is thin, this holiday (as well as its cross-point in the spring) are times when the veil between our world and that of the Fae is at is thinnest… and it is when I personally experience more interactions with them than any other time of year.

Mabon Altar

In my path, the Autumn Equinox is also known as the Second Harvest (also called Mabon), and is a day that marks the transition of the growing season into full harvest.  After this day, the darkness of night begins to overtake the sun’s reign in the sky as the days continue to grow shorter and shorter, and the nights longer and longer.  The earth is winding down its abundant generosity and beginning to close up shop for the year.

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. Unfortunately, I was unable to do my normal Sabbat reading this month, so I picked one off the internet that fit the theme of the holiday to do instead.

Autumn Equinox Spread with the Poison Apple Tarot Oracle

Where to focus my energy this season

Judgement – Staying true to yourself and who you want to become is where you need to ensure your energy is focused this season. There will always be potential distractions to draw you off track, and that is potentially even more true as we lean into the journey towards the final harvest next month.

Growth I’m bringing into Autumn

The Hierophant – You have learned a lot of skills over the summer that you will carry with you not just into Autumn, but the rest of your life. Physical skills, emotional skills, interpersonal skills.  How to take care of others as well as expanding on your own intuitive abilities. These things will in time become foundational knowledge for you so that you can stretch and grow even more.

An obstacle of this season

The Emperor – Don’t allow yourself to become an evil taskmaster pushing yourself too hard, and don’t allow others to treat you that way either. You only have a little bit of time to recover and find your center before chaos begins, and forcing yourself to push too hard now will be a detriment later.

Something to shed

The Touch – It’s time to lean into being less hands-on in the healing process of others. They need to re-establish their independence so that you can then re-establish your own.  When you do too much for them and help too much, it hinders that process.

Something to forgive

Wheel of Fortune – Life is unpredictable. It’s no one’s fault.  Don’t blame yourself… don’t blame others either.  Just roll with it and move on.

Something to harvest

The Gift – As previously touched upon with the Hierophant above, make sure that you are taking time to acknowledge the gains you have made over the past few months in your abilities, both mundane and more.

Something to embrace

The Fool – Head into Autumn with enthusiasm. Don’t get hung up on the shit that will try to hold you back or drag you down.

DECKS USED: POISON APPLE TAROT AND ORACLE