Sacred Rose Tarot

Be More Careful

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and took place in the bathtub.  I spent a great deal of time in the bathtub today actually.  What was supposed to be an hour in the tub with meditation and a little relaxation turned into two hours… and included a nap. Yes, I know that I need to be more careful about that.  I promise… it wasn’t intentional.  It was just so comfortable that I ended off dozing off.

Funny enough, I did my first reading for someone else in the tub today as well.   Mostly because I didn’t feel like getting my ass out and going to my reading table.   I have a few waterproof decks beside the bath so I just did it there and laid them out on the bath mat beside the tub.   Oddly?  I think it gave my interpretation ability a bit of a warmer tone.  Like… as in the reading seemed a bit more emotion based than normal.

Tarot of the Sidhe - Pan, The DevilToday’s draw is the Pan card (The Devil), which is traditionally a representation of temptations and self destructive behaviors.  This can include things like addictions as well as the development of bad habits, or allowing oneself to be “lead astray”.

This is me… sleeping in the tub.   I mean it’s really that clear to me in this moment.  I know it’s supposed to kind of look like sex or surrender, but what I see here in this imagery today is her… floating.  She looks like she’s floating.   In fact, when I first pulled this card today, I barely noticed the Pan at all, only her.

The message in this card is a warning that I need to pay attention to.  It tells me that sleeping in the tub is more than just “flirting” with danger, but is truly dangerous, and I need to make more of an effort to not doze off when I’m in there.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE SIDHE

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m struggling to move past trauma.
Question: What boundaries must be established for me to feel safe when confronting my trauma?

Gypsy Palace Tarot

Reading Summary: The Nine of Wands popped out while I was considering whether I wanted to have this question be about boundaries for myself or boundaries for others. This card indicates that the boundaries are about myself.

Both the Nine of Wands and the Queen of Swords are pointing to the past (to the left) indicating that I need to make sure that I am keeping my past out of my healing process.

The High Priestess indicates that in order to make the decisions on when my past can be incorporated and when I can’t, I need to look inside myself and make sure that I am taking a healthy path and not a hurtful one (indicated by the Priestess’ heart crossed arms).

Take Away:  My past is not there to help me heal… it’s what I’m healing from. I need to be judicious in how I incorporate my past into my healing journey in order to ensure it only does good and not harm.

DECK USED:  GYPSY PALACE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to hear right now?

Tarot of WhyReading Summary: It’s OK to take control (The Chariot) of your personal time and retreat when you need (Four of Swords) to as long as you’re doing it in healthy ways (Four of Cups) that make you happy and bring joy to your life (The Sun).

Take Away:  This reading should be titled “Don’t Be A Sourpuss”.  If you’re going to take time for yourself, that’s okay… but make sure it’s for the right reasons.  Healthy reasons.  Don’t retreat just to wallow in a crappy mood or allow yourself to be a grump.  Alone time needs to be a time of restoration and enjoyment.

This is actually good advice because when I’m feeling grumpy and pessimistic, I have a habit of retreating into myself.  This habit has a purpose, as when I am dealing with an actual major depressive episode, this allows me to continue to function even though I’m a complete mess on the inside.  By pulling into myself, many people can’t even tell what’s really going on… and thus I can continue to put on the appearance that everything is fine and function normally under the observation of others.

The thing is, though, I don’t need to use this method outside of my MDEs.  It’s become a habit to retreat for any negative emotion, regardless of whether it’s clinical grade depression or not.   And that…. is not healthy.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF WHY

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot #ElementalChallenge
Question: How can I best support and nurture positive growth in my community at this time?

Sacred Rose Tarot

Reading Summary: You have the tools (The Magician) to help others reason out (King of Swords) their conflicts (Five of Wands) and come to a resolution (King atop Five). Spend some time with your friends and have some fun (Three of Cups). You can bring them together and resolve their disagreements to restore positive balance in the relationship (The Sun).

Take Away:  This reading is about J and his parents.  Both J and his dad are out of work right now, and living in the same house.  They butt heads a lot when they have to spend too much time together, which has been their situation for the past few months.

I stopped by J’s place today on my way home from my hike and threw horseshoes out in the yard with him and his dad.  His mom came to me before I left to give me her customary hug and thanked me.  She said that coming over helped disperse some of the tension in the house, and especially between J and his dad.  She told me I should come over more often and stop avoiding them because of the pandemic issues.

It was nice that I was able to help.  I very much do worry about the whole pandemic thing and accidentally bringing it to their home tho, just as J does… which is why he’s not hanging out over here at my house much these days.

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I better focus on the future while being present in the present?

Tarot del Fuego

Reading Summary: When things build up and eventually get to a point of  noticeable change (Death), it can sometimes create an emotional mess from worry, pain, and sense of loss (Three of Swords). But, if you focus on your passions and hold steadfast to your goals in the present (King of Wands), you’ll have the tools you need to move forward into the future (The Magician).

seraphimSide Note:  You know, I just realized something about this deck. A lot of the imagery in these cards remind me of the Catholic representations of the higher hierarchy angels like the Seraphim and Cherubim. Multiple wings, multiple eyes… and just sayin’?  But the image I’ve chosen to share here in this post is one of the least freaky of the depictions I’ve seen.

Okay so back to the reading…

Take Away:  That’s the thing about the present, yeah?  It’s full of changes.  Every day there are changes, some good and some not so good.  Sometimes they slip by without being noticed, but other times it’s like you trip over them and skin both knees in the process.    Those changes that you trip over are why it’s so hard to stay in the present sometimes instead of becoming overly focused on the future.  The fear and other emotions they illicit make you want to turn away and look to something better, to disengage with the change and the feelings they create.

The cards here say that instead of disengaging by looking forward, a better path would be to focus on the things that spark your fire and keep you going.  Focus on what you can do now, and apply your attention and abilities to these things.  Let the future take care of itself.

DECK USED:  TAROT DEL FUEGO

Guilt, Blame, and Letting Go

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IMG_5964Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was one of my guided meditations with an interval timer to space out my piriformis stretching.   The topic of today’s guided meditation was about the reflection of one’s behavior back on yourself through interaction with others.  If you approach someone in anger, it makes sense that you will get anger back.  But what people don’t realize is that more subtle effects are also just as possible.

The meditation told the story of a research team wanting to research monkeys, but each time they tried to get close the monkeys repelled them.  Then a researcher went in alone without guns as protection, and the monkeys welcomed him.   The monkeys didn’t know what guns are, but because the team was going in wary and on guard, prepared to commit violence, the monkeys could sense this and wouldn’t let them close.

People are often also like this. They pick up on non verbal cues that tell them someone is tense or irritated, anxious or defensive.  And they then react to those cues without even realizing they’re doing it.   By the same turn, they will also react to positive cues like happiness and warmth.  The meditation today encouraged the latter.

Tarot of the SidheToday’s draw is the Dreamer Three (Three of Swords) which is traditionally about heartache and feelings of loss including (but far from restricted to) grief.

The Fae in this story has no heart.  It is being torn to shreds by the black birds, shared among them as she stands wide open with a hole in her chest, weeping bloody tears.  Trees wilt and falter on the landscape of her skirt as dark clouds come to tangle in her hair.

The thing is, that this looks like it is permanent. It looks never ending.  But the sun behind the figure in this imagery indicates that there is still hope on the horizon and as it rises, it will beat back the dark clouds and overtake the shadows.

Will she ever be the same?  No.   But that can be said for every experience we have in life, not just the bad ones.  Each and every good and bad experience we have changes us. This is how we grow.

I’ve been so disappointed all damned day because my stomach has been a mess.  The cramps are killing me and it’s made me miss out on time with you that I really wanted… and needed.  And was so fucking looking forward to.  I’m sorry my stomach is being a bastard.  I’ve been eating my yogurt and I don’t think I ate anything today that was even close to going bad… I just don’t know what the hell its problem is.

I feel so bad about this, but I know that, like the Fae in this card’s image, we will make it through and continue to grow and thrive.  Together.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE SIDHE

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m struggling to move past trauma.
Question: How can I approach myself with extra kindness and patience during the healing process?

Sacred Rose Tarot

Reading Summary: Pay attention to avoidance strategies (The Devil and Eight of Cups)… and focus on what is been accomplished and what’s good in your life (Nine of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I am so being called out with this reading.  *Chuckles*  Right, so I have a lot of different avoidance strategies to keep myself at a distance from my inner workings when things are feeling raw and I need to heal.  There’s my bad habits, my addictions, my defense mechanisms, multiple different types of distractions, and lets not forget just plain turning my back and willfully ignoring whatever is going on. I am one of those people who was raised to be able to sit and calmly eat or do pretty much anything with quiet calm… all while someone screams and berates you in your ear.  That detachment developed into  yet another mechanism of avoidance.

These cards indicate I need to watch out for these different methods of avoidance, and circumvent them through contemplation and acceptance of the good things in my life and an open acceptance, and even appreciation, of the things I have accomplished.

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I begin to release self blame from my heart?

Hilda TarotReading Summary: Live with what you’ve done (King of Pentacles). Allow your intuition to have a say in how much of the blame you should be taking in (The High Priestess). Don’t be so generous with others, as they played their part too (Six of Pentacles and Temperance).

Take Away:  I wouldn’t be where I am now without having done all those I’ve done along the way.  Some of those things aren’t things I’m proud of, but they need to be viewed with acceptance instead of consternation at this point, as they are in the past now and no longer need to be a burden upon my shoulders.

My instinctual… or perhaps habitual would be a better term… response to discord and conflict is to take the burden of wrongdoing upon myself.  More often than not?  I take far too much of that burden, and I need to learn how to judge more fairly just how much of it I should owl.  The High Priestess indicates I should be looking internally for that answer. I need to make sure it is I that chooses just how much of the burden I take on, and not anyone else.

When I blame myself for things that should be put upon other’s shoulders, I am being generous with them by taking so much of the burden on myself.  Instead, I need to practice a little more balance and moderation, because they deserve to shoulder their share.

DECK USED:  HILDA TAROT

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot #ElementalChallenge
Question:  Air, I seek your wisdom. What teachings do you offer me?

Gypsy Palace Tarot

Reading Summary: Allow your heart to take the lead now and then (King of Cups) in work matters (Eight of Pentacles) and you will find yourself moving into another level of growth (Ten of Swords).

Take Away:  This is about enjoying my work instead of just working for work’s sake. The fact is that I know from personal experience that work does not feel like work if you’re doing it right, and in the right frame of mind.  It feels like a challenge, or like fun, or like a creative burst, or just like the pleasure of creation and joy of sharing with others.  This pleasure is something that I lost for a while in my work due to pushing myself too hard and the resulting repetitive burnouts that ensued. I am working on reclaiming that joy in my work again, and the guidance here is encouragement to continue upon that path.

DECK USED:  GYPSY PALACE TAROT

Pay Closer Attention

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was focused upon pain reduction through pranayama (breathing exercises). Honestly? I was having a bit of an anxious morning to begin with, as my family doctor’s phone was on the fritz and when I tried to call there was a “this line is no longer in service”.  It gave me a serious “oh fuck” moment as I worried if I was going to be able to get my refills.  (It’s all sorted now. I ran down there and talked to the receptionist in person. Apparently they’re having “phone problems”.)

Next World Tarot - Two of SwordsToday’s draw is the Two of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of struggling with a difficult choice and weighing your options in an effort to come to a decision.  It can also indicate an avoidance of making a choice, as is demonstrated by the blindfold.

Okay so… I didn’t see the significance of this when I pulled the card this morning.  I didn’t even guess that the fact that the rock the woman is sitting on looks like a toilet would be a warning of what was to come today.   Totally missed that message until it was too late.

And then… I look closer and realize that it actually is a toilet.  Jesus christ I really wasn’t paying attention this morning.

Right.  Tummy problems.  Today’s message was to watch out for tummy problems.  I did not listen… and I’m now paying the price.

Okay, really tho.   Today’s message is about making good choices.  I made a really bad choice today and the card gave me a very literal warning that I completely missed until it was too late.   It’s all about the good choices.

DECK USED:  NEXT WORLD TAROT

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m plagued by anxiety.
Question: Why have I struggled to hear anxiety’s messages in the past?

Tarot of Why

Reading Summary: Because the newness of it (Ace of Swords) has blinded me (Eight of Swords) and causes a need to regroup (Four of Swords).  This then smothers out the light (The Sun) by muffling my motivation (Knave of Wands Rx).

Take Away:  When a spike of anxiety happens, it feels like it’s coming out of the blue.  It’s painful and so “new” feeling that it leaves me stumbling blindly, as if reeling from a blow.  Because I react in this way, I then need recovery afterward, which steals away motivation and muffles out opportunities for more positive experiences.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF WHY

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Use Care / Be Carefree

Stunning TarotUse Care – Warrior of Swords – Use care both in your ambition but also in your comebacks. When you quip, sometimes it can be taken as more cutting than you intend it to be. Make sure that you are not getting so focused on your ambitions that you lose track of everything else around you.

Be Carefree – Three of Swords – You worry too much.  You spend too much time focusing on the negative and viewing the world through a pessimistic lens.  Stop closing your eyes to all of the good that surrounds you and work at being more carefree in enjoying things from a more positive and optimistic viewpoint

DECK USED:  STUNNING TAROT

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot#ElementalChallenge
Question: Water, when I am ready to release and flow, what should I know?

Alan Tarot

Reading Summary: There are always going to be others that care about me (Two of Hearts) and have the same vision as I do to help me along the way in my endeavors (Three of Diamonds).  Make sure that you aren’t leaving these people behind in your effort to find something better (Six of Spades).

Take Away:  “Release and Flow” is such a foreign concept to me. But the advice here makes sense.  If “release and flow” means going with the flow to move on from something crappy into a better situation, then it’s important not to leave those behind that are your support system and have a piece of your heart in their hands.  They should be along with you for the ride.

DECK USED:  ALAN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What are my gifts?

Sacred Rose Tarot

Reading Summary: Diving into creative endeavors and passionate goals (Knight of Wands). Knowing when to cut and run (Six of Swords)… and when to stay and fight (Five of Swords).

Take Away:  Sometimes a gift can also be a curse, and the first part of the answer for this question is definitely one of those.  The gift of being able to hone in on my focus and plow into my intent, to go after what I want with single minded determination is both a gift… and a curse.  Because when you have that kind of focus, and that kind of drive?  Sometimes you forget about all the other important things that need to be tended to as well.

The second gift is the ability to know when it’s time to walk away, and when it’s time to stay and fight.  When I walk away, I do so for good reason.  It’s for my own health and well-being, and I rarely look back on these decisions.  On the other side of this coin, when I dig in my heels and decide to stay and fight for something I believe in, I become relentless in that and the determination and conviction I bring with me into these situations more often than not turns the table to my benefit.

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT

Remnants and Potential

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and I finally managed to actually get in a meditation uninterrupted.  Well, other than by Miss Luna coming to join me. I don’t consider that an interruption, though.

Tarot of the SidheToday’s draw is the Dreamer Five (Five of Swords) which is traditionally an interpretation of the dynamic between triumph and defeat.  That is to say, that it can at times represent triumph over adversity and taking the “spoils of war” for oneself, but can just as easily represent being on the other end of that battle and its results.

What stands out to me in this card is something that I’ve noticed in a number of the cards in this deck in the past.  That is to say, that the interpretations in the key words and in the imagery depicts a more “reversed” interpretation of some of the cards.

Here in this image, a Fae cuts off its own wings, which trail from his fist while they still hold the bloody knife in the other hand.  They have lost whatever battle against themselves was raging within them, and sacrificed their wings in the depths of their defeat.

Today’s card is a reminder not to “throw the baby out with the bathwater”.   Yes, sometimes shit happens.  Sometimes it feels like it’s time to give up, or like you’ve reached the end of your rope.  But don’t just blindly accept that everything is lost without actually taking score and really paying attention to what is left… and the potential that lies beyond that moment.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE SIDHE

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m plagued by anxiety.
Question: How can I heal my relationship with anxiety?

Tarot of the Dream Enchantress

Reading Summary:  Be mindful of when anxiety is stealing away my time (Seven of Swords and lean on my inner strengths (Strength) and those things that need to be done to bypass the anxiety reaction and leave it in the dust (Eight of Wands).

Side Note:  I forgot how much I love this deck. I really need to pull it out more often.

Take Away:  This is about awareness and distraction.  It’s important to stay in touch with my anxiety levels and be aware of when they spike. Then, use distraction tactics combined with my ability to “stand strong in the storm” to get myself through those anxiety moments and out the other side unscathed.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE DREAM ENCHANTRESS

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Write something free form inspired by the cards.

Sacred Rose TarotThere was once a husband that was positive being single would be better than being married (Two of Swords) and insisted on taking a break from his marriage (Four of Swords).  His friends praised this decision and gave him many pats on the back for having claimed his independence (Six of Wands), and for a while he was very happy and had a lot of fun (The Sun).

Soon, that fun wasn’t enough, though, and he wanted more. He upped the stakes on those things he enjoyed again and again, each time he became bored, he sought out even better experiences and more enjoyment than he had before. (The Devil)

Reckoning came when he ended up losing everything (The Wheel of Fortune).  The rose colored glasses were ripped from his eyes and he saw what a mess he’d made.  He realized he was chasing a dream, and was fortunate to be wise enough to learn from his mistakes instead of repeating them (The Hierophant).

He reached out to his estranged wife and apologized, offering not just his apologies but sincere words about how very much she means to him and how much life sucked without her (Six of Pentacles).  Although they agreed that he had a lot to make up for, in the end she decided to take him back and he happily slipped back into the role of being king of the castle once more (King of Pentacles).

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot#ElementalChallenge
Question: In what way can the element of Water help me right now?

Encore Tarot

Reading Summary: Allowing my heart and my intuition to have a say in decisions (Seven of Cups) concerning where to be generous with my resources (Six of Coins) and with my time (Three of Cups).

Take Away:  I often feel the need to offer resources and/or time to different needy causes. When I logic my way through it, I talk my way out of it… which in one way protects my own interests, but it leaves me feeling a bit guilty, to be honest.  The cards here indicate that the elemental energies of water can help me in making good choices that produce a less guilt-ridden results.

DECK USED:  ENCORE TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What do I love about my world?

Odd Hand Tarot

Reading Summary: I have someone to help guide me forward on my emotional growth and in learning how to give my emotions freedom (Knight of Cups). I’m good at what I do (Eight of Pentacles) and I know where my strengths lie (King of Swords and Strength).

Take Away:  I was a little confused at first with these cards, until I realized that the question is asking about my world… not the world.  The things in my world that make me happy and that I love include Gideon and his guiding hand in the emotional side of my life.  I love that I’m skilled at what I do and have found a way to make the things I enjoy more than just hobbies.  I also love how well set I am in knowing who I am and how I tick, what things are right for me… and how to say no to the things that aren’t.

DECK USED:  ODD HAND TAROT

Abandonment vs With Abandon

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Today’s meditation was curtailed a bit short, as the girls came home from the store and needed help putting things away. Apparently as much as they love Costco, they are not really prepared for the weight of putting away bulk items on their own. It was fine, though.  I’ll fit in another meditation before bed tonight.

Update (as I’m finishing this post next-day):  I didn’t get a bed-time meditation in because I ended up pulling an all-nighter to make sure that I got all the order ready before bed.

Next World TarotToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally interpreted as a representation of emotional withdrawal, rejection, or abandonment of something or someone due to a sense of disappointment or need to get away.

This card actually gives me a whole new perspective on the Eight of Cups than I’ve ever actually considered before.   Usually, when I see the Eight of Cups, it is about abandonment. It is about walking away from something. But I never considered that this walking away from something could be a walking away from constraints or restraints.

And yet, when you embrace abandon, that is exactly what you do.  You set aside those things that would drag you down or hold you back, and move forward unrestrained to embrace the freedom of having shed those restricting elements.  So in essence, this card shows not just the “shedding” that the Eight of Cups so often represents, but also the result of that shedding.

Abandoning my constraints and restraints for a better, more healthy way of managing my responsibilities is something that I have been working on a lot this year. Today’s card is a reminder of the fact I’ve promised myself some days off each month.  Days off that are just for me.   I work seven days a week (okay, so it’s supposed to be six, but lets be honest here, even on Saturday, I still work… I just do very low maintenance and low stress stuff).  It’s nearly time for another one of those breaks, and the card today is a reminder that that time is coming… and that it’s okay to look forward to it without guilt.

DECK USED:  NEXT WORLD TAROT

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
I’m struggling with boundaries in my relationships.
Question: Why do I struggle with putting myself first?

Spark and Pen Tarot

Reading Summary: Because I worry about losing (Three of Heart) all that I have gained (Nine of Pentacles), and so instead I indulge in my addictions (The Devil) which then leads to uncertainty (The Moon) as a repercussions (Justice).

Take Away:  I’m being called out. This is about misdirection. I don’t put myself first in one area because I fear backsliding, instead I end up misdirecting that self care into a less healthy area that has the potential to create problems and, surprise surprise… causes backsliding.   If I put myself first in healthy ways instead, it is also possible I’d backslide, but without all of the uncertainty and mess that doing so in an unhealthy way causes.

DECK USED:  SPARK AND PEN TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Where Are You Content / Where Are You Frustrated

Luminous Void TarotWhere Am I Content?: For a while when the protests and riots started at the beginning of June, I had a lot of restlessness going on.  A lot of discomfort in the fact that I felt like… I was dropping the ball with my community by keeping my distance.  Over the past two months, I’ve done a lot of self-educating, though, that seems to have helped allay that feeling. I no longer feel powerless or up in arms so much as I feel I have learned and am learning… which for me feels far more powerful than anything else I could possibly do.

Where Am I Frustrated?:  Communication with my mother has become fucking torture. I do very much ache for a new start with her… and yet feel defeated because I know a new start won’t change anything, just restart the same old path we are already on.  This repeating cycle is because I want something more… and she is unwilling (or perhaps unable) to give it.  And so a new start would provide nothing for me.

DECK USED:  LUMINOUS VOID TAROT

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot #ElementalChallenge
Question: What part of me would benefit from nurturing at this time?

Vivid Journey Tarot

Reading Summary:  My faith in the universe (The World) and my passionate drive for the things I love (Knight of Wands) will be a nurturing balm for my fears of losing (Three of Swords) all that I have achieved (Ten of Pentacles).

Both The World and the Knight of Wands facing inward implies that they are a force to be applied to the central topic (center cards). The World on left represents looking at the past to see how everything always works out in the end. The Knight of Wands on right is in the position to lead me forward into the future, speaking of using my passions as my guide.

Take Away: You know that fear mentioned earlier about losing all I’ve gained? Here it is again. The cards here indicate that I need to nurture those feelings it by applying my faith in the universe to them, and allowing my burning enthusiasm for what I do to continue to be my guide. 

DECK USED:  VIVID JOURNEY TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What is important right now?

Sacred Rose Tarot

Reading Summary: It’s nothing you can’t handle, no matter which way you choose to go with it (The World), but you need to be aware (The High Priestess) that you are procrastinating (Knight of Wands) and there will be consequences for that (Justice).

Take Away:  This… is true.  And reassuring.  I am aware that I am procrastinating on some things, especially in relation to the business and starting my preparations for the holiday rush.  The reassuring part, though, is in The World card.  There is a reassurance there that no matter what happens, it’ll be okay…. things always sort themselves out in the wash.

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT

Taking Stock and Saying “Well Done”

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IMG_5597Today’s meditation was a little over fifteen minutes long and was focused upon the mentality of being “enough”.   This is a mentality that I struggle with a lot, and I chose this topic for my meditation because of the graphic to the right, which I saw on IG.

I really like this graphic, and it speaks a lot to how I view helping others…. and being a teacher and guide as a whole.  No one is perfect.  Everyone has things to work on and different experiences that come together to create the whole that is them.  All these little things we learn along the way can be offered to others to help them, and teach them.

It is like when I take on a mentee I’m always sure to let them know that I don’t know everything, and that I will learn from them just as they learn from me. Growing and learning is about give and take.  It’s about sharing and an exchange.  It’s not a one way street.

Next World TarotToday’s draw is the Ten of Pentacles, which is a traditional representation of completion and fulfillment in the area s of one’s finances, resources, health, the physical realm, and manifestations.

Interestingly enough, I don’t see the Ten of Pentacles in the imagery of this card.  To me, it feels much more like the Nine of Pentacles and all that solitary pleasure one takes in their accomplishments.

That said, what really stood out to me in the imagery of this card today is the alignment between the purse that the woman holds and the arc of moon phases in the sky surrounding her.  It is as if she’s swung her purse in a cheerful arc and it left behind a trail of moon phases in its wake.

This aspect of the imagery and what I see within it speaks of allowing yourself to find joy in your accomplishments no matter the time or season. There’s no wrong time to look at how far you’ve come, take stock of your accomplishments, and give yourself a little pat on the back.

DECK USED:  NEXT WORLD TAROT

#TarotForGrowthAugust Challenge Prompt
Topic: I feel like I’m struggling to see clearly.
Question: What comfort do I get from from the belief that reality exists separately from my perception of it?

Anthro Tarot

Reading Summary: Lost opportunities (Ace of Pentacles Rx) due to an unrealistic singular view (Nine of Pentacles) that comforts only you (The Empress).

Take Away:  OK… First of all I don’t like this question and I disagree with it entirely. I tried to rephrase it to make it more palatable to me… but that didn’t work either, and this is clearly reflected in the response from the cards.

In my opinion if you are unwilling to look outside your own perspective and see the world from the eyes of others and from their perspectives as well as your own, then you are closing yourself off and being close minded. I feel like this question encourages that close mindedness. I do not believe that seeing clearly means cutting out other perspectives and narrowing your view. I feel the seeing clearly requires seeing beyond your own personal perception of reality in order to see the whole picture.

Perhaps I missed the point of the question?

DECK USED:  ANTHRO TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #1

Spark and Pen TarotSeeds Sown – Six of Swords – Over the spring and summer, I’ve been working on shedding a lot of bad habits and other negative influences on my physical body like overworking myself and eating less junk every day.

The Chaff – The Chariot – My impatience is a big problem when it comes to most goals, and it’s no different in this case either. In this reading, the Chaff is my impatience. Discarding that impatience and accepting that I’m not going anywhere fast will make room for the type of growth I want to happen. Change takes time.

The Harvest – Nine of Swords – In order to prepare for the harvest to come I need to make sure that I’m staying on top of my mental health. Falling into a depression or creating a situation where anxiety rises into play will only set me back on my physical goals… not to mention my goals in other areas as well.

DECK USED:  SPARK AND PEN TAROT

Lionharts #TheAugustTarot #ElementalChallenge
Question: How can I best work with the energy available to me at this time?

Tarot Del Fuego

Reading Summary: Take your time (Knight of Cups Rx) and make good choices (Seven of Cups) that will lead to triumph instead of defeat (Five of Swords).

Take Away:  The energies outlined yesterday weren’t particularly pleasant. If you want to change the trajectory of that energy, you’re going to have to think clearly and really examine every choice available to you. This is a theme of strategization (Google says this is a word, but I’m still not sure), instead of just being reactionary.

DECK USED:  TAROT DEL FUEGO

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I get better at stopping to smell the roses?

Sacred Rose Tarot

Reading Summary: Practice at slowing down (Knight of Wands Rx), and adding a little bit of youthful enthusiasm (Six of Cups) to the effort. It doesn’t have to be solitary (The Hermit Rx), and you need to remember that just because you’re taking time for yourself away from everything doesn’t mean that the world’s gonna fall apart because you’re not there to hold it together (The Tower).

Take Away:  Lots of reminders to slow down and be mindful in the cards today.  In this case, that slowing down is meant to encourage me to find youthful fun in the process of taking a look around and time to smell the roses.  It’s about putting away the guilt and sense of driving obligation and responsibility so that I can be lighthearted in my enjoyment of the moment.

DECK USED:  SACRED ROSE TAROT