self development through shadow work

📆 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

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot and Petit Lenormand Aquarella

Earth – Knight of Wands Rx – Cool your jets. Just because you’re feeling better this week doesn’t mean it’s time for you run around doing whatever the hell you want and chasing whatever fantasies or ideas come up to inspire you. Your body and immune system is not ready yet.

Air – Six of Cups – Continue to consider and commune with what you were doing differently before that was working that you have accidentally left behind in the dust. This isn’t just in relation to your business, but also concerning your emotional well-being.

Water – Page of Wands Rx – Don’t worry about starting new projects this week. It will just make you feel overwhelmed in the end if you do.

Fire – King of Cups – Play time with Gideon and using your imagination is essential to kindling your inner spark this week.

Waning – Fox and Man – There is a man in your life that has been trying to pull the wool over your eyes, and it’s time to confront them about it. Get the issue out in the open so that it can be dealt with and moved on from before it develops into something toxic.

Waxing – Moon and Ship – It’s okay to move forward lead by your intuition alone. Don’t let feelings of uncertainty cause you to hesitate this week when your intuition tells you to jump.

DECKS USED: NICOLETTA CECCOLI TAROT AND PETIT LENORMAND AQUARELLA

📆 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

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Self Care Saturday Tarot Reading with The Lover's Path Tarot and Tales for Tomorrow Petit Lenormand

Earth – Eight of Arrows (Swords) Rx – Take care of the things that you need to take care of instead of turning the blind eye because you don’t wanna look or be bothered. Make those calls that you don’t want to make and deal with the issues lingering on the edge of your plate before they become detrimental to you.

Air – Triumph (The World) Rx – Instead of looking at your end goal this week, take time to really examine where you’re at right now and suss out what’s being hidden from you (that sharp hook hidden behind her back in the card).

Water – Four of Cups – Don’t forget to do your meditation. It’s important to your emotional well-being. Make sure that you aren’t avoiding doing it out of a desire for languishing instead.

Fire – King of Cups Rx – You are not full of wisdom when it comes to how other people are feeling, so take care not to act as if you are just because you want to help. You’re barely able to understand your own emotions most of the time.

Waning – Anchor and Child – That fun loving kid inside you needs some freedom. Stop holding him down. It’s okay to give into flights of fancy every once in a while.

Waxing – Snake and Stork – Keep in mind that that snake in the grass might actually bring with it a boon. Instead of focusing on all the crap ass things it brings with it, train your attention on the good stuff it has to offer instead.

DECKS USED: THE LOVER’S PATH TAROT AND TALES FOR TOMORROW PETITE LENORMAND

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self-care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

Sophie's Lenormand and Majestic Earth Tarot - Steward of Stone, Page of Pentacles, Whisper of Fortune, Wheel of Fortune, Death, Ace of Clouds, Ace of Swords

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Earth – Steward of Stone – Have patience with yourself. You can’t pick up everything with a snap of your fingers, even if this is usually the way you operate when learning something new. Sometimes you have to take your time.  Work on being okay with that.

Air – Ace of Clouds Rx – Hold off on starting anything new or exploring ideas that could add more to your plate for now. They may seem like great ideas, and maybe they are, but not for right this minute. Save them for later and think over them a bit before you pounce on them.

Water – Whisper of Fortune – The unpredictability of life at its best can take you off guard, and no amount of whispers from your guides can protect you from that surprise. They can help guide you through, though, if you’re willing to listen.

Fire – Death – Don’t lose sight of the light ahead. Change is coming and there is fresh air on the horizon.

Waning – Clover and Star – Don’t set your hopes on luck or depend upon good fortune landing in your lap right now. You need a more substantial foundation to depend on in the week ahead.

Waxing – Moon and Fish – Keep a close eye on your emotions this week. There’s potential for overwhelm if you don’t stay on top of things.  That doesn’t mean shutting them down. It means going with the flow and letting yourself feel and process so that they smoothly come… and then go.

DECKS USED: MAJESTIC EARTH TAROT AND SOPHIE’S LENORMAND