Mind Games are an Added Burden

Today’s meditation was eight minutes long and self guided during my yoga practice.  I needed to spend a few extra minutes on my thoracis and obliques, and so I spent that time in meditative breathing exercises (which also adds a different level of stretch to the work).

HP Tarot's Ten of Wands and It's Going to Be Okay 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar by Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Ten of Wands combined with the affirmation “Everything is scary, but that doesn’t mean anything is going to go wrong. Anxious feelings aren’t usually indicative of reality.”

Sometimes, my brain plays what I refer to as the “consequences game”. It’s essential theme is that I’m going to be punished for wanting something, liking something, or something good happening in my life.  It’s a pessimistic mindset spurred on by anxiety, and nope… not healthy. Not at all.

The cards today are a reminder that this is not reality. It’s a game that your brain plays that heightens anxiety and creates additional burden on your shoulders. Today’s message is a reminder that when this game is being played, it’s important to ease up on your responsibilities enough to leave room for that burden until you are able to get it back in hand and under control.

DECK USED:  HP TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2024 Challenge Prompt
Questions for January 29th and 30th

Rootweaver's Vintage Lenormand 10th Anniversary Edition - Cross, Scythe, Child, CrossroadsWhat could you use more of in your life?

Crossroads and Child – Make choices that turn you towards play and frivolity. You don’t have to be so serious all the time. Nothing is going to go wrong or fall apart if you choose to have a bit more fun and cut loose a little bit.

What could you use less of in your life?

Scythe and Cross – Less burden. There is too much burden and responsibility on your shoulders, and you keep trying to add on more. Instead, consider how much better and more enjoyable life could be if you cut out some of that burden you carry and lighten your load.

DECK USED: ROOTWEAVER’S VINTAGE LENORMAND 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION

Daily Self Kindness

I ate on a schedule today (with timers to assist) to make sure that I wouldn’t forget.

📆 Transitioning from January to February

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

Weathering the Storm

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and a repeat of the human being not human doing meditation from the Fitbit app. As I’ve mentioned before, I like this one, and it deals with something that I struggle with on a daily basis, which is that “not enough” mentality. I continue to plan on returning to it often on in my meditation practice.

Blue Earth Tarot's Ten of Wands and Cat Comfort CardsToday’s draw is the Ten of Wands combined with the affirmation “Stay balanced. Ride out the storm.” from the Cat Comfort Cards (and boy are they vibrant).

It’s harder to function without shattering when you pile on too much at once. Trees have the same problem in sub-zero conditions, which is why there is so much danger of falling branches when it gets too cold outside.

Make sure that you are not putting too much on your shoulders, or you will become too top heavy and not be able to keep your balance in the storm.

DECK USED:  BLUE EARTH TAROT AND CAT COMFORT CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2024 Challenge Prompt
Prompt for January 28th : Do Spread 4

Blue Earth Tarot - The Lovers, Four of Wands, The ChariotHow do you most commonly misinterpret reading the cards for yourself?

The Lovers – You tend to lean into the Marseille interpretation of the Lovers pretty regularly, often bypassing other meanings that could possibly fit for the “choices that are right for you” Marseille meaning.

How do you most commonly misinterpret reading the cards for someone else?

Four of Wands Rx – You sometimes forget that the word “home” is not equal to stability for everyone.

How can you improve at reading the cards so that these things don’t keep happening?

The Chariot Rx – More listening and less willfulness. Pause and allow yourself to sink into deeper interpretations and possibilities for the cards instead of going from the gut and your first impressions.

DECK USED: BLUE EARTH TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t drink alcohol… even though I really, really wanted to.

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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 Tarot of the Hidden Realm and Oracle of the Seelie & Unseelie Fae

EarthShadowdance and Mermaid – Your current emotional state (water creature) makes you weak to giving in and overindulging. Take care of that you don’t drown yourself in your temptations and addictions this week.

AirThe Hierophant and Selkie – Get in a session with your shrink this week if you can, and make sure that you are utilizing tried and tested methods this week in caring for your mental health.

WaterAce of Pentacles Rx and Chiastolite Fairy Cross – Settle in instead of looking for new opportunities this week. Emotionally, you are in need of stability and comfort, not the imbalance and possible chaos of trying to turn against the current tide.

FirePage of Swords and Robin Goodfellow – Use your faith and spiritual path to help you cut your way through the darkness. Staying open to the spiritual side of things will keep you from

WaningLily and Anchor – Just because he says that you need to avoid subdrop doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world. Don’t push for the sexual side of things and just allow things to be calm and steady instead for now. Remember your relationship is far deeper than the sex.

WaxingStork and Cross – Focus on working your way through the slump that is going on rather than resting your way through it or lollygagging. There are things you could be doing, hard work you could be accomplishing. Get to the busy work.

Note, this is not in contrast to the reading in the water position, for it is not saying “work at changing things” but rather just work at getting things done that need done, and would need done whether or not you were in a slump.

Take Away – You are emotionally vulnerable right now and need to avoid things that can further imbalances in your life.  Use work and the tried and true methods that you’ve discovered work for you to help you in finding a greater sense of stability, and your faith to assist you in believing in the light at the end of the tunnel.

DECKS USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM, ORACLE OF THE SEELIE AND UNSEELIE FAE, PENTAGRAM’S WOODEN LENORMAND SET

Work Through It

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was a free session from the Fitbit app. I wasn’t a big fan of this one, as although the man’s voice was soothing, there was long, silent, pauses between when he spoke. I would settle into these silences, and then he would speak again and startle me.  I’ve had meditations that do this before, and it has something to do with how they re-introduced their voice into the meditation. It’s just not a smooth enough transition, and causes a jerk of response as a result.

Katrin Blackwater Tarot's Eight of Pentacles and It's Going to Be Okay 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar by Kate AllanToday’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles combined with the affirmation “You’re not a failure for struggling; it IS difficult. Please be careful not to gaslight yourself.”

These cards are an encouragement to just keep working towards your goals. Yes, things are hard right now. The business is slow, and it freaks you out a bit.

The reminder here is that the current slowness is not a disparagement of your skills and abilities, but something to work through, and in doing so gain more knowledge and skill for the future.

DECK USED:  KATRIN BLACKWATER TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2024 Challenge Prompt
Questions for January 27th

My Feelings Metaphoric Cards and Katrin Blackwater Tarot - Nine of Cups, Ace of Swords, Page of Cups, Sister of CupsWhat do you take too seriously?

Nine of Cups Rx and Apathy atop Pride – You take too seriously your moments of apathy and disenchantment, and how they might influence your overall happiness.

My Reaction: I disagree. I feel that a sense of apathy holds me back from enjoyment that I might otherwise be able to be open to. I feel this apathy is often a part of my depression, and that my depression is not just a detriment, but dangerous to my overall sense of happiness and satisfaction in life.

When I am feeling depressed and apathetic, I have a greater tendency to give into self-destructive tendencies, and begin unraveling all that I’ve worked for.

Why am I being told I take these things too seriously?

Ace of Swords atop Sister (Page) of Cups, Faith – Faith will always lift you up and carry you forward into new possibilities. You will never be powerless, even if you destruct your entire world, for there will be always be new opportunities with which to map out a new path forward.

My Reaction: Okay… true. This doesn’t mean I want to start over, though, regardless of my capacity to do so if needed.

DECK USED: KATRIN BLACKWATER TAROT AND MY FEELINGS METAPHORIC CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

Yesterday, I brought home deviled eggs from Ms B’s house.  Today? I ate them and they were amazing.  SO good.

One Small Thing at a Time

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and one of the free meditations from the FitBit app.  It was uneventful and I struggled to stay settled and comfortable for the duration of the meditation. I did continue to practice bringing my focus back to my breath, though… so the “practice” part is still on point.

New Moon Tarot - The Moon Card and It's Going to Be Okay 2024 Day-to-Day Calendar by Kate AllanToday’s draw is The Moon card combined with the affirmation “Just one day at a time.”

When life feels uncertain, we can begin to feel overwhelmed. Everything begins to feel like a threat to what we hold dear and we either shut down and hide or that uncertainty can cause anxiety to run out of control.

The encouragement in today’s cards is that when we are feeling this way, we don’t shut down… but downsize.  Instead of allowing all of the future possibilities and troubles that could come, focus only on the present. On today and only today.  Tomorrow will take care of itself.

DECK USED:  NEW MOON TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

@Lionharts #TheJanuaryTarot 2024 January Initiation Prompt
Questions for January 26th thru 28th

New Moon Tarot - The Tower, Queen of Cups, Seven of Pentacles, Three of CupsSelect a Court card/suit that represents qualities you wish to embody at this moment.

Queen of Cups – I am so tired of being overwhelmed by my emotions and confused by them. I sit within the Page of Cups, striving to learn more emotional intelligence and to understand my emotions better, when what I really want is just a little bit more stability in those emotions and to see them as a good thing instead of as a challenge.

How can I deepen my understanding of these qualities and integrate them into my daily life for personal mastery?

Seven of Pentacles – Be patient. It’s only through experience that you can grow into a greater emotional intelligence. It can’t be rushed.

What intentional practices can support my personal mastery journey?

Three of Cups – Share with friends and have more fun. It’s hard for you to share your feelings with others, but if you can cut loose from the rigid standards you hold yourself to and share more, you will in turn better support your efforts in this area.

How can I empower my daily actions to reflect the qualities embodied by this chosen card?

The Tower Rx – Avoid catastrophizing troubles and trials. It helps nothing and keeps you ramped up and shut down.

DECK USED: NEW MOON TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I laid down when I was hurting instead of pushing myself harder.