self help

❤️ 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 with the Cat Arcana Tarot and The King's Theater Lenormand

Earth – Nine of Wands – Keep an eye out for those things and people that try to get past your defenses. Be mindful that this doesn’t mean you need to harden your defenses, so much has to pay more attention to those that try to breach them.

Air – Queen of Wands – Take a step back and watch for when and where the passions of others run high. Temptation can be a tool used to breach defenses if wielded in the right hands. Don’t forget that you can show your support from the sidelines.

Water – Queen of Pentacles – By staying on the sidelines and showing your support from a place of stability, you will be able to help mitigate emotional chaos and upset that would otherwise come to call if you became more deeply involved.

Fire – The Hanged Man – Consider hanging back in this area as well, for sometimes things have to work themselves out on their own without your assistance. Tie your own hands and let things develop on their own without your input this week.

Waning – Fish and Scythe – Don’t depend on luck too get you out of difficult situations this week. Doing so will get you cut down far faster than your anticipated. Although both of the Queens above speak of standing back and watching while lending your support from the sidelines, these Queens also aren’t fools who would dare chance everything on luck alone. Be ready to step in with some nurturing words of support when needed to keep everything on an even keel.

Waxing – Key and Rider – You hold all the answers and have the ability to give them away as you wish. Make sure the course that you choose, you choose judiciously.

Take Away – Don’t allow others to goad you into taking on what isn’t yours to deal with this week. Instead, be stubborn in sitting on the sidelines and encouraging them to deal with things themselves. You can always step in if things get out of hand, but there’s no need to take on the burden of it all being your responsibility. Better to let them try to deal with it, and in doing so learn and grow from the experience.

DECKS USED: CAT ARCANA TAROT AND THE KING’S THEATER LENORMAND

📆 Transitioning from July to August

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Month's End Oracle Reading with the Nature Oracle, The Witch's Circle Oracle, and The Season of the Witch Oracle

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

Transformation – Resolutions and transformation. You are in a moment of re-dedication. Over the past two weeks you have taken some time off from some of the things that are usually a part of your daily routine, including meditation, personal card readings, and a few other long-term routines that you have been sustaining over the past few years. As August comes into focus, you are now re-dedicating yourself to the routines that worked for you before and discarding what hasn’t, creating a needed reevaluation and reset.

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

The Guardian of the Gate – As you work at re-dedicating yourself to your path and the routines and systems that support you, make sure that you are not allowing your boundaries to be forgotten or disregarded. They are an important part of this process because you need to “bake them into the cake” as its being made. This doesn’t mean that you need more defenses or a greater amount of awareness, it’s simply means that you need to not forget your boundaries during this process.

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

The Cauldron of Creativity – You are seeking to reinvigorate yourself towards your creativity and curiosity. The way one manifest things into reality is that they first must imagine them through creativity and imagination, only then can we start working out how to reach those goals and achieve them. Creativity is the first step, and you are looking to rekindle that inner spark of creativity within you with this reset.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Garnet – keep your expectations for yourself in check. Remember that this is not the end-all be-all of fixing everything that you perceive is not working properly in your life right now. It’s just an experiment and possibly a step in the right direction. Allow yourself to see where it goes without judgment or expectation for it to be more than it is.

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

Wisdom – The trees, moss, and soil of nature lend you their wisdom when you choose to immerse yourself within their presence. Make sure that you are getting out in nature and enjoying that presence, connecting with it, and allowing it to influence you with the wisdom and support that lies within these activities and connections.

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

Owl – Remember that uncertainty is not your enemy. By embracing uncertainty instead of fighting against it. You allow yourself to learn from the experiences that uncertainty has a hand in offering you. Just because these experiences feel unpleasant doesn’t mean that they don’t have value. Make sure that you’re looking for the boon in these moments instead of fighting against them.

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

Crow – In an echo of the previous prompt, the Crow tells us to remember those times when we treated uncertainty as an adventure, or identified the positives in the experience rather than just fighting against the direction and uncertainty that lies there. There are just as many positive experiences that came out of uncertainty as there are negative ones, and this card encourages us to reflect upon those that came out in a positive light and look at how your mindset helped you in these moments.

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

Truth – Remember if people’s words and actions don’t lineup, it’s the actions that demonstrate the truth of the person or persons involved. Don’t get so wrapped up in the words they say that you forget to pay attention to what they’re actually doing. It’s in the discordance between these two factors you will suss out the liars trying to play you for a fool.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Correspondence – Remember that it is within nature that you can find the balance you seek when things seem chaotic or jumbled up. Within the simplicity and complexity of nature, alignment is found, which can allow you to ground more easily and sort through the chaos without losing yourself along the way.

Message from the Spirit World – It is in how you connect with the world around you that you find the clarity, connection, and support needed to express yourself authentically from a place of stability. Make sure that you aren’t closing yourself off in an effort to protect yourself. Connect instead.

Message from the Mind’s World – As you seek transformation, make sure that you are using your creativity to ensure that you not only achieve the changes you want to make, but also uphold your boundaries while doing so.

Message from the Physical World – Use your energy and vitality to push yourself into uncertain moments rather than trying to run away from them. You will gain more from using these uncertain moments to your advantage than you will from trying to brace for their impact or mitigate your feelings of discomfort.

Other elements included in this reading:
Scotch Pine Cone for Purging Negative Influences
Foraged Lodgepole Pine for Resilience, Growth, and Renewal
Dried Red Maple Leaf for Adaptability and Connection
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Moss Agate for Attracting Opportunities for Growth
Botswana Agate for Reducing Stress and Anxiety
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: NATURE ORACLE, SEASON OF THE WITCH ORACLE, WITCH’S CIRCLE ORACLE

❤️ 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 Ritual Kitchen Tarot and The Early Riser's Lenormand Fortunetelling Deck

Earth – Three of Swords Rx / Lemon Balm – Discouraging news is coming. Don’t let it weight you down or drag you under. It’s a temporary situation that will resolve itself with very little effort on your part.

Air – The World Rx / Lemon & Thyme – Your inner self talk is going to continue to try and assert that you’re getting nothing done this week. Keep up your task log to counter those mental whispers. Just because nothing gets finished this week doesn’t mean nothing is getting done.

Water – Justice / Marigold – Take care with your expectations this week to protect yourself from upcoming disappointments. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Fire – Seven of Cups / Herbs de Provence – Pick and choose your endeavors wisely for the week ahead. You’re not going to be able to do (or get done) everything that you want, so make sure that your priorities are in order and you are checking in with them often.

Waning – Book and Fawn (Child) – The ability to focus on new interests and endeavors with the eager curiosity you’re used to is going to be lacking this week. Make sure not to beat yourself up about it. It will recover and return.

Waxing – House and Grasshopper (Stork) – Lean into recognizing and appreciating those things and people in your life that bring you a sense of comfort and stability.

Take Away – The hurdles and struggles of the week ahead are going to make it difficult to finish just about anything you want to get finished. Instead of worrying about finishing, appreciate that you’re making progress in the right direction, regardless of the fact these things aren’t completed right this moment. A little bit of progress is better than nothing. Lean into those around you and allow them to comfort you in your moments of disappointment.

DECKS USED: THE RITUAL KITCHEN TAROT AND THE EARLY RISER’S LENORMAND FORTUNETELLING DECK

❤️ 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 Wonderstruck Tarot and Suits of Life Playing Cards

Earth – Ace of Pentacles – A new idea comes to fruition and the promise of opportunity is before you this week. Give it a go and see how it works for you.

Air – Three of Cups – Trust those closest to keep your secrets, but take care to share with them in private. Let them know what’s going on and let them share in the emotional burdens involved.

Water – Four of Cups – Take it slow and observe. There’s no need to stress yourself out, no need for overwhelm either. Just keep your ears and eyes open (and your mouth shut) in public places.

Fire – Two of Cups – Allow others to bolster your spirits. Remember that you’re not alone, and that those around you offer joy and release from stress.

Waning – Jack of Diamonds and Ace of Clubs – Wastefulness will tangle you up in intricacies you could have otherwise avoided. Pay attention to what you waste and where, whether it’s time or resources or something else entirely. Don’t let this waste become an obstacle in your path.

Waxing – Six of Hearts and Queen of Hearts – Mindfulness is key this week. Don’t live your life in the past or spend too much time worrying about the future. Your focus this week needs to be on right now.

Take Away – Make sure that you are paying attention to your surroundings, and that the things you want to keep private between yourself and those closest to you aren’t being overheard by a third party who has no business being involved. Take things slow, and avoid wasteful habits and practices, as they will only hold you back in the long run… even the ones that seem like they would be a shortcut.

DECKS USED: WONDERSTRUCK TAROT AND SUITS OF LIFE PLAYING CARDS

❤️ 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 Herbcrafter's Tarot and Midsummer Whispers Lenormand

Earth – Seven of Water / Birch – “Open your heart to wisdom from the soul.”

Don’t depend solely upon logic, necessity, nor your moral compass when making choices this week. Dig deeper and seek input from that side of yourself where your intuition, emotions, and imagination reside. Seek a path that includes your wants and takes into consideration your feelings, rather than discounting input from these sources. They need to carry more weight in your decision making in the week ahead than you usually give them.

Air – Hija of Air / Catnip – “The first answer is the right answer.”

Your intuition, moral compass, and emotions all have a tendency to jump in and make their answer known first. It’s just that their voices are often quiet, while our brain’s voice is often overbearing and loud. Work on opening up and letting yourself hear and accept these first answers when they come this week, instead of letting the mind step in and convince you to ignore them.

Water – Eight of Air / Licorice – “Know your limits and respect them.”

Take responsibility for the overwhelm you feel and open your eyes to the solutions available to you. It’s okay to say no when you need to. You’re allowed to have boundaries. Closing your eyes to the sacrifices you make and the boundaries that have been crossed will only make the situation worse.

Fire – Nine of Air / Pomegranate – “Know love, know grief.”

Take care to be gentle to the grieving this week. It takes longer for some to heal than others, and impatience will stunt that healing process the same way harvesting a pomegranate before it is fully ripe will keep it from ever reaching ripeness. This doesn’t mean allowing them to walk all over your boundaries or that you can’t say no. It just means to do so with gentle care.

Waning – Stars and Lady – Hopeful thinking and going in soft will not be productive this week. Try a bit of tempered aggression and determination instead.

Waxing – Mice and Dog – Suss out the troublemakers in your friendships and those closest to you. Remember that everyone fucks up now and then, but nip in the bud persistent problems.

Take Away – Your intuition and emotions need to be given extra weight and consideration this week when making decisions. Use these tools to help you in deciding which boundaries in your life need reinforcing, and which are no longer serving you well. What you feel needs to outweigh what others expect from you, so don’t allow them to monopolize your time or consideration this week.

DECKS USED: THE HERBCRAFTER’S TAROT AND MIDSUMMER WHISPERS LENORMAND

📆 Transitioning from June to July

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Month End Oracle Reading with the J Miranda Deck

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

Center – You are the warm center that keeps everything feeling safe and comfortable. While you are this person for others, you seek this from those closest to you as well. You are coming to the realization and understanding that you need them to help stoke the fire and keep things going.

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

Center Left – Leave behind your tendency to focus too much on control, which you know to be both impractical and unhealthy. A bit of mindfulness and small corrections here and there will create far better results than trying to control every aspect and see every obstacle that may come up along the way.

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

Center Right – You’ve been daydreaming an awful lot about having some true quality alone time lately. Just make sure when you try to pursue this avenue that you don’t end up closing yourself off in the process.

Limitations – Negative influences, opposition, or ill will.

Bottom Center – Your expectations of perfection are inhibiting you from being able to appreciate your home in its present state. Instead of obsessing over the mess and allowing it to drag you down, try waxing poetic over the stuff you like about your home. Just like everything else in life, it’s never going to be perfect.

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

Top Center – Take time to stop and savor the little things. Sunsets and fireflies and quiet afternoons are your reward for just being here. Don’t pass them up just because you have “things still to do”.

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

Bottom Left – Don’t allow the shadows of uncertainty to get the upper hand and take over. They will eat away at you if given the chance. Instead, cast a light on them to help guide you through dark times. When you share your worries and troubles with other others, it helps lighten the burden as well as the uncertainty you’re experiencing.

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

Bottom Right – Use your “nighttime in the greenhouse” experiences in your meditation exercises. Explore the feel of the air and the leaves, the scent of the greenhouse at night, and the atmosphere through your meditation and visualization. These experiences are still fresh in your mind and able to be explored to add a little spice and variety to your meditation practice.

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

Top Left – As mentioned previously, your expectations towards perfection are going to get in the way of the things you want to do and experience if you let them. Pay attention when that voice rises up that tells you that you should be doing more or doing better, and put it back in its place instead of allowing it to pollute your self-esteem and drag you down into self abusive behaviors.

Empowerment – A future opportunity to work toward.

Top Right – Remember that creativity is messy! It’s okay to make a mess and not be as organized as perhaps you’d like. As long as you are enjoying each aspect and step along the way, it doesn’t matter if there’s a mess to clean up afterward or if things are a bit more disorganized than the more exact side of your nature may prefer.

Message from the Spirit World – Have fun with color and creativity. Enjoy the beauty in the world around you instead of becoming hyper focused on all the little organizational bits that need to be put into place. Sometimes it’s okay to just have fun.

Message from the Mind’s World – If you allow your darker thoughts to run amuck, they will isolate you from the warmth and support others can provide.

Message from the Physical World – Consider getting outside during the darker hours of twilight and sunrise in order to beat the heat and find a more comfortable experience for your outdoor activities.

DECKS USED: THE J MIRANDA ORACLE