self care check in

📆 Transitioning from April to May

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Month End Check-In with the Tarot of the Absurd

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

Three of Blades – Disappointed. Yeah. Unfortunately there’s been some conflict with friends recently and disappointment pretty much covers it. Your brain keeps poking at your emotions, trying to wring out logic from them, and have managed to sort through things, but it’s left you feeling disappointed and sad.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Strength – Let go of the need to manipulate and “fix” the situation. It’s not going to work and you’re going to end up hurt if you keep trying.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Two of Sticks – New direction cleansed of imbalance.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Ten of Swords – Seeing this as “the end” is not healthy or constructive. Although you don’t need to fix things, you do need to let them lie rather than playing “clean up on aisle 3”.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

Knight of Blades – Ambition and drive are on your side. Don’t allow the current setbacks to bank those fires.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

The Sun – Losing something that you perceive as happiness hurts. The winds of change can take these things away and leave you bereft. Look to past experiences and see if this one can help heal some of those that might be along a similar vein in the past.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Six of Cups – Not all of it was bad. Make sure you are remembering and connecting with the good memories too. It helps even out the imbalances.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

The Star – Don’t blindly put all your eggs (or faith in others) in one basket. Closing your eves and running ahead while ignoring what’s going on in front of you is a bad idea.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

The High Priestess atop Nine of Sticks – Better understanding of threats and challenges to what matters to you through a combination of intuition and experience.

[Messages from Spirit World, Mind’s World, and Physical World have been skipped this time around.]

Side Note – Although this was supposed to be a personal check in with myself, it turned into a reading about a specific, ongoing situation due to the fact I was trying to pull my cards while talking to my partner about that situation.

DECKS USED: TAROT OF THE ABSURD

📆 Transitioning from March to April

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Month End Tarot Reading with the Tarot Landscapes Tarot

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

Eight of Pentacles atop The Hermit – You have been forced to be around a lot of people lately, and been away from your work now long enough to begin missing it. You are craving some alone time to work on your craft.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Two of Cups Rx atop Queen of Swords – Don’t let cold receptions and calculated words from others hurt you or distance you from those you have a close connection with.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Six of Pentacles – You seek to be more accepting of kindness from others without so much of your own pessimistic suspicion getting in the way.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Six of Wands Rx – Don’t allow others opinions or expectations to hold you back. People pleasing is not the path to happiness or balance.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

The Sun Rx – Remember that you can’t win them all. There’s always going to be a snake in the grass (or a rabbit in the garden) there to cause trouble or hardship. You don’t have to ignore them, but you shouldn’t allow them to take away the positives that you can get from any situation either.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

Nine of Wands Rx – Sometimes shit happens that you just can’t guard against or be prepared for. Carrying that baggage and being anxious about a repeat is not productive. Take a deep breath and let it go.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Temperance – Temperance can be used to your advantage rather than something you strive for. Wolves don’t always go for the sheep. If you distract them with something they want more than your own hide, you can often circumvent disaster and find peace in the strangest of places.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

King of Swords – Too much time alone to think is not going to do anyone any good. If you’re going to lead, make sure you are connecting with those you are leading instead of holding yourself apart.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Judgement Rx – Grounding is needed. Think less about the future and more about the present. You don’t have to keep your eye on the horizon all the time to still move in the direction you want to go in. Instead, spend some time looking around you and enjoying the moment.

Message from the Spirit World – Being too harsh in your judgments of others will steal your happiness just as quickly as turning that judgmental eye on yourself.

Message from the Mind’s World – Spend your alone time working on seeing the positive in people rather than judging them (or yourself) harshly.

Message from the Physical World – Stop putting so much of yourself out there for others. Take a more moderate pace and live for yourself instead.

DECKS USED: TAROT LANDSCAPES

📆 Transitioning from February to March

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Month End Tarot Reading with the Fairy Tarot

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

Ace of Pentacles – You are working at starting anew in many areas right now. It’s important that you take care to take things one thing at a time, one step at a time.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Strength – Don’t burn your bridges. When you destroy the past, you are severing off a part of yourself as well. You can leave these things behind without being destructive about it.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

The High Priestess – You wish to be wiser about your own life as well as how you share with others, including being more knowledgeable concerning which secrets need holding back and which can be discreetly revealed.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Knight of Pentacles atop Eight of Cups – Again. The temptation to burn bridges has been a long time coming, but it’s not the right choice at this time and will do you more harm than good.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

Ten of Cups – Count your blessings well and enjoy them. This especially applies to the people in your life.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

Five of Cups Rx – Your pessimistic nature hurts you far more than it helps you. Look at how it has helped to push you into the pit of depression in the past, and use the tools you’ve developed over time to help counteract its influence.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

The Fool atop Ace of Cups – As you move into the month ahead, take time to reflect upon all of the times you have allowed yourself to dive into your emotions and let them spark your enthusiasm. Remember that not all emotions are bad emotions.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

Eight of Pentacles – Make sure you aren’t pushing yourself to work too hard. Too much work is not good for you.  Pushing yourself to do more is not the answer.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

The Sun – A happy fun-filled summer. It’s a possibility that’s open to you if you choose to work toward it.  It won’t drop in your lap but will require focus to help it to come about.

Message from the Spirit World – Work at a job you love, and you will never work a day in your life.

Message from the Mind’s World – Sometimes new transplants and new journeys require a gentle touch.

Message from the Physical World – Let go of destructive tendencies, and move forward into a fresh start chasing more joy in your life.

DECKS USED: FAIRY TAROT

📆 Transitioning from January to February

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Month End Check In Tarot Reading with the Tarot of Sacred Feminine

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

The Moon Rx atop Strength – You are struggling within your uncertainty and the vulnerability it breeds.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Queen of Coins Rx atop Page of Coins – The instability involved in trying to advance your position needs to be set aside for now. It’s time to pause. If you push to advance it will only cause disruption to your stability.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Queen of Cups Rx atop Seven of Wands Rx – You seek less violence and intensity in your emotions, including less reactivity to perceived threats.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Death Rx – Stagnancy. Just because you’re not charging forward doesn’t mean you need to stay still. Don’t let stagnancy sneak in and drag you into the mire.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

The Hermit Rx atop Ten of Coins Rx – It’s okay to need time to yourself, just make sure that it is healthy time that won’t insert a wedge between you and your support system.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

The High Priestess – Remember that you may not always like the results of following your intuition. That doesn’t mean that you turn away from it, but rather that it’s giving you what you need instead of what you want. This isn’t a bad thing.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Six of Cups atop King of Swords – Use the past to steer things in the direction you want them to go. Using nostalgia as a tool, you can hit your target cleanly.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

The Devil – Deception is afoot. Stay alert and watchful for cracks in the masks of others.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Four of Swords – Rest and restoration needs to be your focus right now. You have the opportunity to recuperate at this time and need to take it while you have it.

Message from the Spirit World – Instead of forcing yourself to spend time with others, and risking their machinations influencing your stability and mental health, spend some time recuperating and push them to do their own thing.

Message from the Mind’s World – Lean heavily into learning instead of doing when it comes to your uncertainty right now. You’re not in a place to handle the aggression needed to do more than sit back and watch at the moment.

Message from the Physical World – This is an echo of the Nostalgia position further up in the reading.  Overcome the temptation towards stagnancy by digging into your memories for past experiences that were beneficial to you. (Restock good sellers!)

DECKS USED: TAROT OF SACRED FEMININE

Transitioning from December to January

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Month End Check-In Tarot Reading with the Bearot Deck

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

Ace of Swords Rx – You are not communicating. You need to share with others how you are feeling and where you are struggling, but instead you are still keeping it all to yourself.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

The Tower – It’s time to cut out the catastrophizing. You need to work on leaving this mindset behind. Chaos and sudden change really isn’t the end of the world, so don’t make it out to be in your mind and self talk.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Nine of Cups – You are seeking a state of emotional satiation. Over the past year (not just during the holiday rush) you have had to close yourself off from your emotions. You are overdue to let them out and find the state emotional well-being that you’ve been missing.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Page of Cups – Your emotions are raw and hurting right now. It makes it hard to uncover them and air them out. Take care not to let them steer your reactions as you are working to untangle the knots.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

King of Cups – Gideon may be going through his own crises right now, but but don’t forget that his presence is still the same stable emotional support for you as he has always been.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

The Magician – You were raised to always be capable and on target, to utilize your skills and tools towards your goals and thus not just succeed but shine. This impossible standard has created a perpetual “not good enough” mentality that is now ready for some healing.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Knight of Cups – You’ve made a lot of progress in getting in touch with your emotions over the years, and you can absolutely do it again. Take time to reflect on your past methods to find the path forward in the present.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

The Empress Rx – Don’t allow yourself to fall into self abuse and neglect. You are at a transition point and you need to focus on self care in order to steer yourself onto the right path moving forward.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Seven of Wands Rx – Less fighting, conflict, and struggle. More peace, serenity, and comfort. You have the opportunity at this time to turn the tables from stress and strife to a better, more comfortable way forward.

Take Away – There is a lot here about your current transition from the stress of the holiday rush into a better and healthier emotional and mental place.  You are being encouraged to make sure you stay on track towards balance and self care. Focus on being kind to yourself, not suppressing your emotions, and sharing your feelings with others.

DECKS USED: BEAROT DECK

📆 Transitioning from November to December

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Month End Tarot Reading with the Urban Incantations Tarot

Here and Now I Exist – Who you are now, in your entirety.

The World – Major transitions happen around this time of year for you, with the holiday rush changing just about every aspect of your life in one way or another.  Your growth throughout the year comes to a culmination as your focus is drawn elsewhere and held for a stretch of six weeks, and your entire world changes.  Remember that there is a new journey that can once again focus on you and your needs once the race of the holiday rush comes to an end.

The Slough – What is to be left in the past as you move forward.

Knight of Pentacles – The time for slow movement is at an end. Things are picking up speed and you’ll need to move at a faster pace to keep up and succeed.

What Lies Ahead – An ideal state or ideal self you are seeking at this time.

Queen of Pentacles – This month ahead is filled with the potential for the wealth and success needed not only to fulfill your own needs, but also care for and support others.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Five of Cups – Sour grapes and negative inner narratives are not your friend. Make sure you are aware of those self-criticisms and negative self-judgements, and do what you can to counterbalance them for a healthier outlook.

The Boon – Positive influences, higher guidance, or divine intervention.

Nine of Pentacles – Instead of focusing on failings and struggles, as mentioned above, make sure that you are focusing on your successes and accomplishments.  Boost your outlook through positive feedback instead of being a slave driver to yourself that is never pleased or satisfied.

The Wound – An unpleasant past experience or event that is ripe for some support and healing.

King of Swords Rx – Impulsive moments and acting without thought usually ends badly for you… but not always. When it does, though, you kick yourself for these moments instead of letting them go. Work harder to see them as learning experiences instead of failings.

Nostalgia – A positive past experience or event to acknowledge, reflect upon, and enjoy.

Death – You have done well with all the changes that have gone on in your life this year. Don’t lose sight of that ability to adapt and keep going as you move forward this month.

A Warning – Something coming that can be prevented or overcome.

Ten of Cups – Watch out for threats to your emotional security and familial ties. Stay aware of those things that could cause disruption to your “happy family” feelings that you share with others.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Seven of Wands Rx – Remember that sometimes empowerment doesn’t require outward expression. It’s okay to keep your opinions and beliefs to yourself, and stand firm in them without justifying them to others.

Message from the Spirit World – Keep in mind that happiness and success sometimes require you to yield instead of standing strong.

Message from the Mind’s World – Slow progress to your goals and beyond them is still progress. You’ll get there, and soon you’ll be in a position to not just work towards your goals, but support others in working towards theirs as well.

Message from the Physical World – Lack of motivation and strategy combined with negative thoughts equal more and more uncomfortable change in your life.

DECKS USED: URBAN INCANTATIONS TAROT