self improvement

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 of the Animal Lords, Nature's Wisdom Oracle, Secret Language of Animals Oracle

Earth – The Devil and Daffodil (Serenity) – Make sure you are fully aware of where your addictions lie and what influence they have on your life this week. There is a chance of the scales tipping to unhealthy if you’re not careful, and you can’t be careful if you don’t have your eyes open wide and aren’t paying attention. Make sure you are being honest with yourself about where you are and what you’re doing, and use that self awareness and truth to keep your actions and addictions in balance. In other words… it’s time to slow down a bit.

Air – The World, Two of Wands, Fish (Fearlessness) – You know the direction you want to go in here concerning your inner critic and internal dialogue. Don’t worry so much and keep your eyes trained on where you want to go because there’s better things to come if you can stay on track. This is a healthy transition that should be a celebration, not a time of trepidation.

Water – Knight of Wands and Iris (Messenger) – Bound forward, intrepid traveler.  Now is the time to seize your opportunity and make the most of it. Make sure as you bound forward to find things that bring you pleasure and joy, though, that you’re not leaving behind the emotional growth you’ve worked so hard to achieve.  This opportunity is not meant to bury and ignore the awkwardness of change, but to insert a bit more joy into your life along the way.

Fire – The Tower Rx and Mushroom (Caution) – Fear of change does not mean that you avoid change.  It means that you take care and caution as it happens.  It’s okay to dive into and indulge in the things that bring you joy and spark your enthusiasm, just make sure you’re not diving into them as a method of avoidance concerning the personal transformation you are going through.

Waning – Tree Frog – The time for sitting still has come to an end.  Set aside your procrastination and hesitation, set aside the contemplation on what you want to do and where you want to go.  It’s time to start moving along your chosen path rather than sitting still and thinking about it.

Waxing – Fairy Wren –  As you move away from the stagnancy of sitting still, gather up your passions and inspirations, your enthusiasm and your joy.  Use these emotions to carry you in the direction you want to go.  These things will help breathe fresh air into your life and support your forward movement along the path you desire to tread.

Take Away – It’s time to get inspired and move forward.   I’ve sat still and hesitated long enough.  The way to do this is to reach out to those things that spark my creativity and my enthusiasm.  Just make sure that in the process you don’t fall into the pitfalls of addiction or avoidance along the way.   These things are there to bring joy, energy, and enthusiasm… not to hide within.

DECKS USED:  TAROT OF THE ANIMAL LORDS, NATURE’S WISDOM ORACLE, SECRET LANGUAGE OF ANIMALS 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?

Self Care Saturday Tarot Spread

Earth – Page of Pentacles, Tower Rx, Home Is Where You Are – You don’t need a catastrophic mentality to keep things on an even keel. Make an effort this week to not see everything as “on the precipice of disaster”, but instead acknowledge that you have everything well in hand.  Untie some of your knots… because right now in this present moment there’s no fires to put out and no need to panic.

Air – Ten of Wands and Here We Are – The overwhelm has been building for quite some time as more and more “children of the corn” keep popping their heads up out of the field to grab your attention. None of these “children” really need your attention though, so stop letting them distract you.

Water – Five of Swords and Get On Your Feet – The fight is not yet over and now’s not the time to rest. In the position of Water, this message is about my emotional growth and not about my work or my ambitions.   The message here is that while I’m easing up on these other topics and endeavors, the work with my emotional growth will be ongoing.

Fire – Hierophant and Follow The Wind – In the New Moon spread shown in my previous post, you also had the Hierophant. There it spoke of the need to tackle head-on where you are feeling overwhelmed in your “roles”… and here with the “follow the wind” card there is a message of needing to let go.

I think I’m going to skip this month’s lesson, which I should be teaching on Wednesday of this week.   But honestly?  I’m just not feeling it and the cards in both of these spreads are saying to “let go” at this time rather than struggling when I’m not feeling it.

Waning – Generosity – It’s time to take that generosity with your time and attention, and turn it inward to yourself.  You give more of yourself than you realize, and you’re tapping yourself out.  Take the time you need to rest, recover, and regenerate.

Waxing – Introspection – As you move away from offering so much of yourself and your time to others, don’t fill that time and energy up with other external distractions.  Instead, take time to focus on yourself.

Take Away – Tell your inner critic to shut the fuck up, step away from the responsibilities that you can afford to ease up on, and take some time for yourself this week. Don’t allow bullshit worries created by your inner critic to distract you back into those things you’ve committed to easing up on… it’s a trick, and will just lead to overwhelm and burn out.

DECKS USED:  TAROT FOR DANDELIONS, SALMON ADVICE ORACLE VOL 3, CREATIVITY 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?

Red Thread Oracle, Unnamed Oracle, Wychwood Oracle, Self Reflection Cards, The Crystal Tarot

Earth – Knight of Pentacles and Dryad of Death and Rebirth –  Remember that sometimes changes take time.  You’re always so impatient when it comes to how you perform and how much patience you give yourself to make adjustments and changes.  Long lasting and meaningful change doesn’t happen in a day.  Make sure you are practicing patience with yourself and those reformation plans you’re actively working towards.

Air – Four of Cups and The Herbalist – Hiding behind the comfortable and familiar so that you don’t have to deal with things that are causing you discomfort is not going to work.  Pull those flowers away from your face and use your hard won skills and knowledge to pull yourself out of that “funk” you’ve been experiencing.

Water – Eight of Cups and The Hideout – These cards fit along the same theme as the Air position, making it clear that hiding out and retreating is not a good choice.  Instead, move away from those habits that are no longer serving you and find a different way to deal with when things become difficult or uncomfortable.

Fire – Queen of Pentacles and Counting Crows – Things are well in hand with the business right now.  If you want to lolligag and take some time just to enjoy yourself?  Now’s the time. Instead of pushing and pushing yourself toward the business and those responsibilities, take some time to just relax and enjoy yourself.

Waning – The Hand, The Key, The Twins –  L and you are going to have a bit of a “moment” this week where you two will move away from that comfortable groove you’ve had going on due a revelation of truths.  This is not a permanent disquiet, will create some tension.

Waxing – The Cup – Concerning this moment of truth with L, make sure that you stay well balanced and don’t allow your emotions to spill over and create a mess.

Take Away – Aside from the warning about L and I having a rocky road this week, the cards here indicate I need to take some time for myself and a break from pushing myself so hard concerning my business and responsibilities.  Now is a good time for that.

The theme here is a blend between patience, restraint, and taking time for myself.  Patience with my performance and slow progress, restraint in pushing myself to my limits, patience and restraint with my emotions concerning L and whatever truths are soon to come to the surface.

DECKS USED:  THE CRYSTAL TAROT, SELF REFLECTION CARDS I II III, RED THREAD ORACLE, UNNAMED ORACLE, WYCHWOOD 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?

Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot, The Empty Cup Oracle, Yarn of Mama Shamana Oracle

Earth – Sea Battle, Mosquito, and Broom – Neither of the girls in the cards look particularly thrilled with the prospect of bloodshed and violence. The brook indicates it’s time to brush away the worries that everything is going to come crashing down in a mess of epic proportions.  Take a breath, cleanse yourself of the stress and strain that the last couple of months have piled on your chest concerning your financial stability and security.  It’s time to clear the air of that fog and distance yourself from it as best you can, even if it means stripping off that pretty blue dress (your composure) and having an emotional moment in order to do so.

Air – Drippy Ice Cream and Tangle – Don’t allow your insecurities to eat your brains. Sometimes when you allow your inner critic too much freedom, it gets everything in your head all tangled up and you end up biting a chunk out of yourself purely by accident.  That inner critic? It revels in the chaos and the insecurity that it causes.  Don’t let it push you to the point you end up secretly nibbling away at yourself while presenting that pretty facade of “everything is okay”.  There’s shit going on back there in the shadows… don’t ignore it.

Water – Tangled Rose and Cutting Board – This ties into the Air position.  Everything needs pruning now and then or else it gets unruly and chaotic.  That includes your emotions.  Make sure that you don’t let your emotions get all tangled up and invested with the inner critic’s ploy.  That mental struggle going on does not have to turn into an emotional maelstrom.

Fire – Rapunzel’s Dragon and Concentric Rings – Take some time to examine your past and how it influences how you feel about yourself and your craft.  You’re skilled and passionate about your business, but what lies behind your business is both creativity and that creative spark that drives you.  Don’t lose touch with that but instead explore it and how it has influenced you.

Waning – Lemon Gathering and “She stands up taller and breathes in deeper” – It’s time for a reality check. It’s okay to take pride in yourself, getting where you are at now took a lot of hard work and that is worth a bit of acknowledgement.  Just don’t let that pride go to your head.  Stay conscious of how you view others and grounded in your interactions with them.

Waxing – In the Boat and “while others stay fearful to open their doors” – You have someone on your side to watch your back.  Don’t allow fear to rule you.  That big bad wolf in your back pocket is there whenever you need him to keep watch so that you can feel safe and secure.

Take Away – There’s a serious need of cleansing indicated in these cards.  A cleaning away of fears and worries and hidden judgements about both myself and others.  This is a safe time to take care of this process of cleansing out those things, as you have someone in the boat with you that is eager and ready to stand guard over you and protect your back while you deal with your inner crap.

DECKS USED: NICOLETTA CECCOLI TAROT, THE EMPTY CUP ORACLE, YARN OF MAMA SHAMANA ORACLE

 

Transitioning from June to July

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As with my new moon and full moon readings that I do for myself each month and used to put into my physical journal, this is a spread that I do at the end of each month to close out the month and I’ve decided to move it over to here as well.

Jeremy Miranda Oracle Cards, Faunae Playing Cards Veiled Edition

Individuality – Two of Hearts –  At this moment in time you are feeling a bit of a tug of war going on between the solitary glide of individuality and the need to connect and spend more time with Gideon. This constant push and pull taps into and saps a lot of energy and is taking a lot of your focus currently as you try to navigate through the habits so ingrained within you and the changes you manifest in your life.

Dependence – Jack of Hearts – You are currently struggling with becoming more at home with the new level of emotions you are experiencing.  Those bad habits of individuality loom in the background, making the integration of these efforts more of a struggle than you were prepared for.

Creativity – Two of Clubs – You seek direction and warmth.  You want to incorporate the warmth of emotion into your life more fully and you seek a direction that will allow you to do that while still finding a work/home balance that can allow room for both.

Limitation – Three of Spades – Negative thoughts are creating a sense of opposition and negative influence at this time.  There’s a sense of “this isn’t going to work” whispering in the back of your mind and a worry that things will fall apart if you don’t “do as you’re told” by the inner critic that’s whispering in your ear.

Change – Nine of Clubs – You are aware of that inner critic’s voice and are not just blindly following it as you have in the past.  You’ve had time to prepare your defenses against those whispers, and although you cannot completely block them out, you are able to take them with a grain of salt.

Sympathy – Three of Diamonds – Disappointments from the past have crashed over efforts to make this transition before. You were taught that its important to hone your skills and use them to progress, and not to lollygag on silly things that add no monetary or physical value.  This is why you turn your hobbies into a business.  This constant drive has the ability to crash over and wash away the progress you have made if you let it.

Luck – Queen of Spades – When I was thirteen or perhaps fourteen years old, my mother and I refinished an old cedar chest during the summer.  I’d never done woodworking before, and I can’t say that I was particularly good at it.  In fact, I’m pretty sure she’s since refinished that chest again a second time, because…. I really wasn’t all that good at it.  But even without the skills to do a great job, I really enjoyed the task.  I enjoyed the process and the time spent with my mother away from my father’s constant bullshit.   The relevance here to my current situation is that I need to find those things that give me that sense of pleasure and accomplishment…. free of my inner critic’s constant bullshit.

Power – Two of Spades – The emotions are coming… and they’re going to fuck with your head. This issue is entirely preventable if you make the choice to do something about it.  Move those books off the bottom shelf or two, reorganize what you’re doing and how you have things set up so that when the water rolls in, it doesn’t damage the mind on the way through.

Responsibility – Jack of Diamonds – Finding a piece of peace will take some patience, but it is attainable.  Remember that if you want this, you have to create space for it.  It won’t just happen, just as the waves of the sea will never stop crashing upon the shore.  At the same time?  This type of change is a process that takes time, so allow yourself some room and don’t get impatient.

Message from Spirit World –  Stay steady and calm.  You’ve come a long way but still have a long way yet to go.  It’s okay to take things slow, as long as you also prepare for a few stumbling blocks to crop up along the way.

Message from Mind’s World –  Melding your old way of doing things into the new way you want to do them is not about abandoning one for another.  It’s about finding a balance that allows for both.

Message from Known World –  Stop allowing your father’s voice such free reign in your head.  So much of that inner critic you deal with comes from him and his values and his ideals.  You already know those were flawed, so turn your attention in a different direction that is more to your own values and ideals rather than trying to continue to live up to his.

DECKS USED: JEREMY MIRANDA ORACLE CARDS, FAUNAE PLAYING CARDS VEILED EDITION

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?

Mystical Manga Tarot, Fae of the Forest Oracle, Jeremy Miranda Oracle

Earth – The Moon, Knight of Cups, Nine of Clubs (Lady of the Tree) – There is going to be a sense of uncertainty this week in the area of the home and finances.  This uncertainty could easily spill over into an emotional outburst or impulsive action based off of an emotional reaction if you don’t take time to ground and find your center in the cacophony of emotions that uncertainty can breed.

Air – Nine of Wands and Queen of Clubs (Green Woman) – Instead of allowing your emotions to get the upper hand as mentioned above, lean into your skill set.  Lean into those things that bring you passion and joy and use them to help you find some balance.

Water – Nine of Swords and King of Diamonds (The Apple Tree Man) – The Nine of Swords refers back to that emotional turmoil seen in the Earth position of this spread.  It’s going to be a struggle to keep yourself on even keel and again we see the encouragement to find that grounding and centering.  Lean into your connection with nature and seek good council from someone you trust to speak of financial matters with.  This could be your accountant, considering this is the week that you drop off your taxes with him.

Fire – The Lovers and Seven of Diamonds (Dryad Maiden) – Take a leap this week.  With so much going on between your emotions and your sense of stability in the home and finances department, you will need a bit of a distraction. The best place to put your focus in finding that distraction is in those things that inspire you.

Waning – Stability – In this image there is solid ground and steady well organized rows of books.  All of the chaos is outside and you stand in a place of stability and surety.  In this position, this is what you are moving away from this week.  Understandably, this is not exactly going to be comfortable for you.

Waxing – Indigestion – Calm on the outside, a burning block of coal in your gut.  This is not so much about indigestion about the sizzle of anxiety that thrums just beneath the surface and can make it hard to breathe… but not so hard that it can’t be covered over by a placid expression and projecting a sense of calm.

Take Away –  The key here isn’t in projecting that calm, but absorbing it.  It’s going to be a stressful week and you’re going to need to stay grounded and centered to make it through.   Repeatedly ground and center… and seek council when you need it.  When things feel like they’re getting to be too much?  It’s time to step aside and delve into something that sparks your interest and passion in order to get a bit of escape from the strain.

DECKS USED: MYSTICAL MANGA TAROT, FAERIES OF THE FOREST ORACLE, JEREMY MIRANDA ORACLE CARDS