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?

Tarot Leaves, Supra Oracle, Tea Leaf Fortune Cards, Tree of Life Oracle

A note on the use of the Supra Oracle in this spread.  I do not have the guide book for this oracle, and thus all meanings interpreted from these cards are entirely through intuitive interpretation alone.

Earth – Five of Cups, Bridge, Fire – You may feel a bit strapped for cash this week, but keep in mind that this is perception and not reality.  Overcoming this perception will require leaning into your passions and focusing on the things you enjoy instead of on where you feel things are lacking.  Redirect your attention away from where your feelings of scarcity are originating, and everything will fall into place.

Air – Hanged Man, Hat, Earth – A new role and a different perspective are awaiting you this week.  Make sure you are grounding regularly and meditating daily in order to help give you a solid foundation, so that the newness of it all doesn’t set you off-kilter. Take your time with digesting things and you’ll be fine.

Water – Page of Swords, Ear, Individuation – The message here in the position of emotions is to listen to what others say and take the time to learn from what they say and adopt for yourself what works for you.  It’s essentially saying “take what resonates, and discard the rest”.

Gideon and I have been talking a lot about my emotions lately as I struggle to understand how I can carry my growth forward into the busy season ahead.  The message here is to go over my notes, suss out that stuff that resonates with me, and absorb this wisdom so that I can use it to make a positive difference in how I handle things later this year.

Fire – Judgement, Eye, Voided Block – Don’t worry so much or judge yourself so harshly concerning what you’re not doing and the procrastination you have going on right now.  That black hole of hesitation won’t last forever.  When the time is right to move forward with preparations and dive in with both feet? You’ll know.

Waning – Family – The family card in this instance indicates that I will be moving away from a feeling of connection and unity with the world around me. This could indicate a need for introspection, or that I need to bear down and focus on my own shit for the week.

Waxing – Branches Fallen – Echoing the moving away from connection to others comes a need to start pruning my own “garden”.  It’s time to take stock of my responsibilities and good fortune, and weed out those things that are no longer needed or not working for me at this time.

Don’t be afraid to remove anything not working for you at this time that has the possible potential of working for you later on. Remember that those things you prune away and discard have the potential to grow back better and stronger in the future if given the time to do so.

Take Away – Don’t worry so much about the preparation for the holiday rush and stop beating yourself up for procrastinating on getting shit done. Take this week to work through processing some of the things that Gideon and you have discussed and internalizing them, while letting go of some of the baggage that is tying my hands and holding me back.

DECKS USED:  TAROT LEAVES, SUPRA ORACLE, TEA LEAF FORTUNE CARDS, TREE OF LIFE ORACLE

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

El Goliath Tarot 2nd Edition, Connected and Free Oracle, Bad Kardma Oracle

Earth – Justice and Beginnings – You reap what you sow, and when you reach the end of a cycle? You start again… and seek to do better the next time around.  This is true in farming, and it’s true in life.  You’re coming up on an opportunity to start again this week.  Although you don’t know what that new beginning and opportunity might be? Make sure to keep your eyes open for it, as it’s your opportunity to financially balance the scales.

Air – Death, The Tower, Responsibility –  Death and The Tower together in the same position is a bit of overkill but makes it clear this week is going to be a challenge to my new way of doing things.  Responsibilities are going to push at you, creating pressure and trying to trip you up and reset you back on your old path, undoing all of the change and progress you’ve made this year.  Make sure you are not allowing yourself to fall into that trap.  That path is not for you any longer.

Water – Five of Wands, You Are Exactly Where You Need To Be, Base Chakra – Hold your ground. You are just exactly where you need to be in relation to your emotional growth and how you’re dealing with things.  Just because things might feel like they get a little hairy tgus weej does not mean you yield to those pressures.  Instead, it is time to ground down, dig in roots, and give yourself the most stubbornly steady foundation you can so that you can hold your ground through the storm.

Fire – Eight of Swords and Final Step – You have been moving forward on this  journey of growth all spring and summer, and here this week you will find yourself standing at the “final step” of this journey for the time being.  The business is going to try and pull wool over your eyes and blind you in order to draw you in and tie you down into old habits.  Make sure you are paying attention to not just your actions but your inner dialog.

Waning – Welcoming Satan Into The Home – This week is time to focus on shutting out the things that don’t serve you.  Habits that need to be put back under control, negative self talk that needs to be silenced, etc.  These issues are something that needs to be told to take a hike .  Now is the time to stand firm and strong.

Waxing – Blind Trust – As you release those things that are not serving you, reach deep and trust in your intuition and moral compass to carry you forward.  These two qualities have never once in your entire life steered you wrong, and they will continue to keep your path true today just as they always have in your past.

Take Away – This week is full of transition and tests.  Make sure you are grounding and holding strong to the values that you’ve developed over the past year as well as the wisdom of your moral compass and intuition.  Emotionally, you have made it to the point where you can stabilize and hold firm, and weather the storm without losing what you have gained, but to do that you’re going to have to stay aware not just of your surroundings, but your inner negativity and its influences on both your choices and emotions.

DECKS USED:  EL GOLIATH TAROT 2ND EDITION, CONNECTED AND FREE ORACLE, BAD KARDMA 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?

Sasuraibito Tarot, Hedgewitch Botanical Oracle, Sacred Rebels Oracle

Earth – Ten of Swords and Golden Poppy (Dream) – It’s time to let go of what has distracted your focus and latch on to your dreams of the future. The sedative side of the Golden Poppy is expressed in the Ten of Swords in that there is a time when you change from one cycle to the next where there is a moment of pause. A moment to rest and re-calibrate. Take this week as an opportunity to do just that. The last quarter of each year is a blur of responsibilities you’ve been able to coast slowly on over most of the year so far. It’s time to shift gears.

Air – Ten of Cups and St John’s Wort (Stabilize) – Now is the time to find your balance emotionally and focus on the abundance of positive relationships you have in your life. See clearly and communicate your feelings and your gratitude for those in your life that enrich your experiences day-to-day. Taking time to do this now will help you feel more stable and secure in the future, as you are building a foundation of confidence and comfortable security that will help balance out harder times to come.

Water – Judgement Rx and Violet (Attract) – Work on being a little less judgey and a little less of an ass.  This may not currently be being expressed blatantly in an outward way that others can put their finger on, but you know it’s true. Even hidden, these habits cause a negative reaction in others.  Make sure that you’re not jumping to conclusions this week, and you’ll be far more likely to remain in everyone’s good graces.

Fire – Ace of Pentacles and Marshmallow (Adversity) – This is not the week to start any new projects or change the status quo on any of your investments. Doing so will be an uphill climb that will expend far too much of your energy for far too little result.  Instead, take the advice given in the Earth section of this reading and use this week as a time of rest and re-calibration.  You’ll have time to explore new projects later on.

Waning – Shock of the New – Over the course of this year I’ve done a lot of exploration on “the New”.   New emotions. New ways of doing things. New ways of thinking about myself, my work, and the world around me.  So much new that at times it’s been a bit overwhelming, but I’ve allowed the tides and eddies of flowing newness take and buffet me along.  With the fall now upon us, this card indicates it’s time to start winding down on all of “the New” this week.

Waxing – Softly, Softly, The Tender Touch – Don’t push. The theme of this week is rest and re-calibration.  That doesn’t mean turn on a dime and push full force into autumn preparations.  It means taking time to gently and carefully pack away what is going to be in the way over the next little while.  This is not a funeral, it’s a gentle and temporary storage.

Take Away – Lets repeat it again.  Rest and Re-Calibration.   This is the theme that has surfaced through this reading.  Although I’m aware of the approach of the holiday rush and have plenty to do to get prepared for it, it’s going to be important that I don’t push too hard this week.  Take this time to ease into the mindset needed.  Don’t bury… don’t release… don’t smother or otherwise discount any of the work you’ve done over the summer and spring.  It’s all valid, it’s all important.  Acknowledge it and gently place it in safe keeping.   Don’t make any big decisions this week, and put some conscious thought into not being a judgemental ass… externally or internally.

DECKS USED: SASURAIBITO TAROT, HEDGEWITCH BOTANICAL ORACLE, SACRED REBELS ORACLE

Transitioning from August to September

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This is a spread that I do at the end of each month to close out the month.

Month End Tarot Check In - Hilda Tarot, Roots and Wings Oracle

Individuality – The High Priestess, Six of Swords, Earth Mother – I’m in the process of trying to find a balance between my intuitive self and my more grounded qualities.  I’ve recently discovered that to find an easy balance is going to take scrapping old methods and rebuilding a dynamic that is more hospitable to both.

Dependence – Nine of Pentacles, Nine of Cups, The Divine – As I move further into the fall and closer to the holiday rush, I begin to step away from a sense of wallowing in the comfort and security I’ve created.  Although spirituality will continue to play a part in my life even through the silly season, I am aware that I will need to let go of some practices for a bit until things calm down again.

Creativity – King of Wands, Potential, Wildness – I leave behind the shelter of wallowing in comfort in order to reach for what I want out of the months to come.  I focus ahead now, seeking the potential that the holiday rush represents.  It’s a wild ride, but one I willingly do each year as my finances depend upon the holiday rush to balance out.

Limitation – Seven of Swords and Perseverance – While looking ahead toward the holiday rush, don’t freak out about the time passing by.  You only have so long to prepare for what’s coming, but you need to accept as well that distractions happen and using time for self care and other things that are good for you  isn’t wasting time.  Yes, it might mean you get a bit less done, but it means that you are building yourself up to last longer in the long run.

Change – The Magician and The Void – The Magician has been following me around a lot over the past few days.  It is a reminder that I am a strong and capable person, well prepared and well educated, and more than able to deal with anything that comes my way.  Do not allow uncertainty to convince you otherwise.

Sympathy – The Star, The Fool, Vulnerability – These cards are a reminder of a past event that is relevant at this time.  The message here is about how sometimes you just blindly have faith and go after what you want and… even though such times often result in uncertainty and vulnerability… you always end up coming out the other side okay.  Wounds heal… experience lasts forever and teaches you how to deal with things a different and better way the next time.

Luck – The World and Transformation – I have a chance to make lasting changes at this time.  It’s important to not look back, and not backslide.  Keep your eye on the prize and reach for those changes and strive for forward motion.  I’ve spent the lions share of this year working at not just emotional growth, but in finding a better balance between work and life.  Now that I am entering into the time of year that is the most stressful for me, I need to make sure that my focus on preparation doesn’t turn into obsession and edge out the progress I’ve made over the last few months.

Power – Wheel of Fortune, Knight of Pentacles, Joy – Don’t allow the little irritations and upsets steal away my confidence, my progress, or my joy.  Just yesterday I did a reading that spoke on this.   Shit happens.  You need to roll with the punches and keep moving.  Adapt and continue instead of letting hurdles stand in your way and block your path forward.

Responsibility – Eight of Pentacles, Time, Hope – The future opportunity here is about my work and time management. It’s about making sure that I am staying optimistic and using my time wisely to prepare for what’s coming.  I’ve gone through the rush a number of times now. I know what I need to have done ahead of time to make things go more smoothly.

Message from Spirit World – You are capable and strong, knowledgeable and powerful in your own right.  Life is a series of ups and downs, but you have the grounded spirit, the capable hands, and the know-how to take on the world and suss out what you want from it.

Message from Mind’s World – Move forward from the swaddled comfort of the summer and into the new energy of the fall.  This time of harvest for so many is your time of preparation.  Allow your spark to catch fire and lead you forward to where you need to be mentally, physically, and emotionally. Preparation for the holiday season is about more than just the supplies and products that need to be made and stockpiled… because you need to be readied as well.

Message from Known World – Spending some time having a bit of fun might feel like a waste of time, but it’s actually a deeply seated need that you have to attend to in order to continue to grow and get to where you want to be not just in the physical world with your business, but emotionally and spiritually as well.

Take Away – Balance. This is all about balance and making sure that I’m not neglecting the needs of my body, mind, emotions, and spirituality by sacrificing them on the altar of work and commerce. It’s okay to take time for yourself.  It’s okay to have a little fun and allow your mind to slide away from work and the business prep for the holidays for a bit now and then.  It will not be the end of the world if you aren’t focusing every single ounce of your attention and energy on what’s coming in November.

DECKS USED:  THE HILDA TAROT, ROOTS AND WINGS POCKET ORACLE

Side note:   I just noticed for the first time in this post that when I am doing readings for myself, I bounce between first person and second person as if I am both simultaneously reading to myself as myself… and reading to myself as if across the table from myself.

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?

SCS

Earth – The Hierophant and The Lovers – Remember that you are in the process of learning how to be open and how to choose love. How to choose emotion and not just logic and intuition. Take time to recognize that on this path of emotional growth you’ve been on, the emotional factors aren’t going to stay in a nice little box away from the other areas of my life.  This isn’t something you can compartmentalize, so when emotions start to make themselves known in the areas of your life that you’re used to being very steadily grounded… don’t panic.  And don’t close down.  Ride it out instead and choose to stay open.

Air – Seven of Diamonds and Blossom – These cards are all about growth, and relate back to what was said in the Earth section of this reading in that you need to make sure you aren’t reacting negatively to this phase of natural growth.  You’ve been on this path for a long time now, but that doesn’t mean growing pains still aren’t possible or won’t happen.  Just remember to stay focused on what you want to come out as the end result.

Water – Nine of Hearts and Passage –  Again we hearken back to the lesson in the Earth section of this reading.  Here in the place of emotion  and relationships we see a card of passage that moves us from a place of darkness to one of light joined with a card signifying emotional harmony.  That emotional harmony is the goal that you seek.  The cards here indicate that you might feel some confusion or disillusionment this week, but you need to keep your eye on the prize.

Fire – Death and Potential – With every change, a new opportunity is born.  Again we have a card here that speaks of gradual change.  In the Air section this was about growth, but here we see the death of what is being left behind, and the seed of something new.  During the week ahead, consider what things relating to your drive and your business that you want to let go of.  Only by letting go can you make room for something new.

Waning – Wing Taps – This week is going to test your calm and your resolve to stick with the changes and growth that you’ve chosen to follow through with.  It may be stressful, and you’ll probably have some trouble dealing with your anxiety.

Waxing – Squirrel Smells – Centering and grounding will be extremely important this week in keeping things calm and collected and your anxiety at bay.  Make sure to meditate, and use mindfulness exercises with your senses to bring you into the here and now when things begin to feel overwhelming.

Take Away – Stress and anxiety this week are going to make it difficult to stay open and allow your emotional growth to continue to have the reigns.  It’s going to start showing in other areas of your life and don’t let that freak you out.  Use your meditation practice as well as mindfulness based centering and grounding techniques to help yourself in staying calm and open to the changes taking place.

DECKS USED: ALAN TAROT, ROOTS AND WINGS ORACLE, MINDFUL KIDS CARDS BY LITTLE RENEGADES

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

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?

Vivid Journey Tarot, White Light Oracle, Botanical Inspirations Oracle

Earth – Knight of Swords, The Moon, Garden Heliotrope – You may feel a bit directionless this week and uncertain in your path forward concerning hearth and home and that stability you crave. It’ll take some determination to move beyond those feelings of uncertainty. You’ll need to use that inner fire that lives inside you to push through these feelings and keep your eye on the prize.

Air – Six of Wands and Hibiscus –  Aesthetic is everything this week.  Not just what appeals to you, either, but what appeals to the masses. You make beautiful things with your hands every day.  Take some time this week to explore some of those “brilliant ideas” you’re always having, paying special attention to those that have extra aesthetic appeal.

Water – Knight of Cups and Violet –  Another message about ego and restraint, which is the second or third of these messages this week.  Take care to practice some modesty and restraint in how you feel about the results of your creative endeavors.  Getting too confident could end with you tripping over your  own feet.

Fire – The Devil and Hydrangea – You may feel yourself falling a bit more deeply into the trap of self soothing in unhealthy ways this week.  Instead of indulging and perpetuating the cycle, it would be helpful and healthy to step aside and examine what is triggering these impulses. Once you understand where they are coming from, you can then explore solutions.

Waning – Lasya of Parvati – Gentleness and grace are the tenants of Lasya of Parvati, and in this card you are being told that this week will not be as gentle or as graceful as you might like.  Although it won’t be the smoothest or easiest ride, it also won’t be the end of the world.   Just take a deep breath and keep moving.

Waxing – Solve Polluti 741Hz – Make this week a time of clearing out of negative energies and cleansing.  Sometimes harmful energies have a way of sneaking in to wreak havoc a little bit at a time.  A little extra meditation and adding in a cleansing ritual to the process this week would benefit you greatly.

This card also feels like it is looking at the Fire position in the spread (directionality within the imagery).  This indicates to me that the cleansing mentioned here will benefit me in this area of my addictions and bad habits used to self soothe.

Take Away –  Use your enthusiasm for the creative process and appreciation for appealing aesthetic to pull yourself past the feelings of uncertainty that well up this week.  Focus on the pleasure in the work and not the end result. As pleased as you are with your finished projects, the finish line is not the point of the work.   Make sure you are doing extra self cleansing this week…. perhaps add in a second salt and vinegar soak in the tub and a couple of energy cleansings during your meditation practice.

DECKS USED:  VIVID JOURNEY TAROT, WHITE LIGHT ORACLE, BOTANICAL INSPIRATIONS ORACLE