Snowland Tarot

Daydreams and Memories

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The Soul's Haven Tarot - Six of CupsThe @GlitterbyInk #DecemberDays25 Beyond the Solstice Challenge
The Mystic Prompt for December 2 : Dreamy
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Six of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of nostalgia, joyful memories, childhood experiences, and revisiting the past in some way.

“It’s the positive memories that we need to hold onto.”

So often the things we hold onto from the past are the trauma and the scars. The negative is so much easier to remember and to believe. The greatest value in our memories, though, is that hidden among the negative are all the positive experiences we’ve had as well.

These positive experiences can be uplifting. They can shift our outlook from pessimistic to a more positive perspective.

The message in today’s card  combined with the “dreamy” prompt is that sometimes it’s okay to just take a bit of time to daydream. And, in these daydreams, to slide back into the past to revisit positive experiences so that they hold a more dominant place in your mind than the negative ones.

DECK USED:  THE SOUL’S HAVEN TAROT

@aplacetodock #Yuletide Oracle Challenge
Prompts for December 1st and 2nd

Tarot Reading with the Snowland Tarot and Simply Christmas LenormandWhat is my Yule/Christmas theme for December?

Scythe, Two of Swords, Gentleman – Check and double check your decisions before you follow through on them in order to cut out any misunderstandings or accidental faux pas. Make sure that the things you say are taken in the vein that you mean them to be, and pay attention to the reactions of others around you so that you can adjust your approach when needed.

What can I do to welcome the Christmas Spirit?

Rider, The Tower, Birds – Selective hearing is the friend that will carry you through the holiday season and allow you to see its gifts instead of its unpleasant aspects. Remember that we can’t stave off all unfortunate events that may come, but we can control how we react to them and encourage others to react in more positive ways as well.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Acorns for Protection during New Beginnings
Foraged Oak Branch with Moss and Lichen for Perseverance
Bear Figure for Strength and Fostering Protective Instincts
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SNOWLAND TAROT AND SIMPLY CHRISTMAS LENORMAND

@LightningWildflower December Arcana Challenge 
Fool Prompts for December 1st and 2nd

Tarot Reading with The Soul's Haven Tarot What assumptions or fears have kept me from trying something new?

Two of Pentacles Rx and Six of Pentacles – The fear that being too generous with yourself will upset the apple cart and send everything in your life out of balance. You built what you have on a foundation of self abuse, self neglect, and working well beyond your limits. You worry that turning the tide concerning your needs and treating yourself better will also turn the tide on what you’ve accomplished.

How can I release control and trust the journey ahead?

Three of Pentacles and Knight of Cups – Remember to lean on others in order to give yourself the ability to go after the things that you actually enjoy.

They are there to help and take off some of that load that you used to carry all on your own.  This means that you’re not “dropping the ball”, but rather, handing it off.  When you allow them to step in and help, it frees you up to give yourself that extra care that you’re trying to instill in your life these days… without everything falling apart.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Foraged Parmeliaceae Lichen for a “Breath of Fresh Air”
Bird Figurine for Fostering Hope, Positivity, and Renewal
Lepidolite for Facilitating Calm Transitions
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE SOUL’S HAVEN TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I was a nice person to someone that was a complete pain in my ass, instead of saying what I really wanted to say.

Finding the Positive for December 1 – 3

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Winter Magic Tarot, Snowland Tarot, Winter Waite Tarot, and Self-Made Christmas Affirmation Cards

December 1 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #DecembersChild24 Challenge
Healing the Inner Child Prompt for December 1st : Nostalgia

Today’s card is the Devil card combined with the affirmation “Have an ice day and stay frosty!”

A lot of the cards in the affirmation deck I’m using this month hold a great deal of nostalgia for me. Not because the characters are familiar, but because I remember these corny little cards (like valentine cards kids exchange at school) that we used to have for different holidays.

It reminds me of feelings and fun and childhood moments of hope.  It reminds me of bushing hotly as I made little cards to give out because my parents wouldn’t buy the store-bought ones for me, and how fascinated I was with each of the little sayings on the store bought ones given to me on the day.

There’s danger in nostalgia, though.  The same danger that lies hidden in pretty much anything pleasurable. For  if you dip too far into it, you lose sight of reality.  You forget about the bad parts, just as if you lean too far into thinking about the bad parts of your past that you lose sight of the good parts.

Today’s cards, for me, are a reminder that too much of a good thing is no longer a good thing. Balance is important.  Take the bad with the good and vice versa in order to keep the scales balanced in your life and your memories based more solidly in reality.

DECK USED: WINTER MAGIC TAROT AND SELF-MADE CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 2 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #DecembersChild24 Challenge
Healing the Inner Child Prompt for December 2nd : Magic

Today’s card is the Page of Swords combined with the affirmation “Have an elf-cellent holiday season!”

There is a lot of really amazing things happening this time of year.  Charity ramps up and kindness with it. There’s community events like parades and holiday bazaars. Gift giving and generosity rise.

It can be hard to enjoy, though, if you spend too much time in your head.  Doing so can separate you from the warmth of the season and the bits of fun that it has to offer.

I hear a lot of people that bitch about the music or the crowds, etc.  Fair.  We all have things we don’t like about the holiday season.  But what do you *like* about it?  And more important yet, what do you feel ambivalent about that you might actually like if you gave it a chance?

Today’s card (combined with the Healing the Inner Child prompt) reminds us to stay open to the joy and the fun that this time of year has to offer.  Don’t get caught up in the negative aspects, but reach for the positive ones to make these busy weeks ahead feel happier and warmer, lighter and more magical than they otherwise might.

DECK USED: SNOWLAND TAROT AND SELF-MADE CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 3 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The @GlitterbyInk #DecembersChild24 Challenge
Healing the Inner Child Prompt for December 3rd : Curiosity

Today’s card is the Queen of Swords (landed on the table reversed) combined with the affirmation “There’s no need to be so hard on yourself, you’re managing as best you can.”

I have met a few people in my life that have a woe that I personally have a hard time understanding. I’ve been thinking about them a lot the last little bit, because I ran into another one just the other day.  These are people who have come to the belief that they have no true talent or skill. That they are a waste of space and time because they have nothing that they are good at, no hobbies or interests, nothing at which they shine.

And then… today’s cards brought to light an understanding of this mindset that I hadn’t considered before.

What drives inspiration? Curiosity does.  It’s the spark of fire that gets inspiration started and us moving to explore whatever has caught our attention.  And what kills curiosity? Internally directed negativity.  It is the voice within us that tells us we can’t do something, that we’ll suck at it, that it’s a waste of time. That inner voice may have been created by someone else, but by the time we get to the point where we believe we are talent-less and without merit?  It’s playing on repeat in our own heads.

The key to breaking this pattern comes in turning to that negative voice and saying “fuck you, I’m doing it anyway”.  Not worrying about if you’re good or not and just sating that curiosity anyway. Letting yourself have fun with it, play with it, and mess things up.

Even when you -know- you might fail, it’s in doing it anyway in order to gain experience and just -see- what happens.  Because if you don’t do that?  You can’t learn.  And if you don’t learn?  You never find those things you enjoy and are good at.  And yes… sometimes that negative voice in your head is going to whisper away in the background those things you don’t want to hear, but the idea is to not listen.  To have some fun.  To let your curiosity flourish.  Experiment and explore.

Then… our of nowhere?  You might just some day you just might surprise yourself by ending up being good at something you once were bad at… or good at something you didn’t ever even consider you might be good at.   That’s how you find where personal talents lie and those things that you enjoy.  Dive in, and have fun… and don’t worry so much about if you’re good at it or not.

DECK USED: THE WINTER WAITE TAROT REVISED EDITION (2019) AND SELF-MADE CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

Finding the Positive for December 19 – 21

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These Card of the Day readings are a mental health exercise (suggested by my shrink) used to help counterbalance my natural tendency toward pessimism, negative inner narratives, and depression. The request posed to the cards is, “A positive message to carry with me throughout my day and foster perspective.”

Christmas Cheer Tarot, Snowland Tarot, Vintage Christmas Tarot, and Christmas Affirmations Tarot

December 19

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Nine of Swords – “A bad day doesn’t mean a bad life. Tomorrow will be different.” Anxiety is high today, and not just for you. There was a lot of sniping and bickering today, of tense moments and irritations, sharp words and sharper glances. The stress is getting the best of you… and others as well.  It’s made everyone a bit on edge.

Remember that this is not an every day thing. It’s a “today” thing.  It doesn’t have to carry over beyond today, and everyone will be in a place better suited to smoothing ruffled feathers and settling back into the status quo tomorrow.

DECK USED: CHRISTMAS CHEER TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 20

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Nine of Swords – “You’re still making progress, even on your worst days.”  Don’t let the worries and fears of failure cause you to throw away your progress or disregard your accomplishments. Even when those fears might be valid, they haven’t come to fruition. They’re in your head, and are a product of your pessimistic mindset.   Set those negative worries aside and instead work to encourage yourself through acknowledging each of your successes, no matter how small.

DECK USED: SNOWLAND TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 21

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Knight of Swords – “Close your eyes and slowly take a deep breath.” It’s the last moment before the holiday rush comes to a close.  It’s time to start slowing down, even though you still feel amped up and like there are a million things to do.  Take that deep breath… and then do it again.  Let these small moments of pause to breathe help ease your energy down from the “go go go” and active strategizing you’ve been doing for the past six weeks.

DECK USED:  VINTAGE CHRISTMAS TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

Tarotholics Challenge Dec Spread 1

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#DiscordTarotholicsDec2023 Challenge Spread 1

December Tarot Reading with the Snowland Tarot

Bear – Introspection / Healing – How can a period of introspection help with healing the past year’s pain?

Seven of Pentacles – Sustainable growth takes time and goes through many different phases. One of those phases that encourages growth is time spent looking inward at the self. When we rush, we often try to skip this step, because it’s difficult and uncomfortable, but in taking our time to explore it instead, we come out the other side happier and healthier in the end.

Robin – Compassion / Patience – Where can I express more compassion and patience with others?

Ten of Pentacles – During family times your loved ones could use a bit less snap and snark, and a little more compassion and patience. The stress of the holiday rush is making you snipe more often when you would normally have more patience. An effort toward a bit more compassion and patience will allow everyone to come together comfortably instead of going off into their own corners.

Deer – Gentleness / Intuition – How can I use my intuition to encourage more gentleness and caring this holiday?

Strength – Lean into your interpersonal strengths and seek out the nudge of your intuition to help you learn what others need in order to soften their hard edges and allow them to relax.

Squirrel – Preparation / Resourcefulness – How can prep and resourcefulness help me through the holidays?

The Star – Preparation and your resourcefulness assist in keeping things running smoothly, which in turn then allows you to more easily lean into hope and positivity instead of worry and self-criticism.

Wren – Inspiration / Enthusiasm – Where can I find inspiration to help me be enthusiastic about the holidays this year?

Nine of Pentacles – Stay focused on your accomplishments and how far you have come rather than allowing more negative inner narratives to take control. It’s through acknowledging your accomplishments (no matter how difficult they are to see, and no matter how small or inconsequential they might seem) that you are more easily able to see and enjoy the positives in life and fun in the world around you during the holidays.

Boar – Stubborn Persistence – In what way can stubborn persistence help me through the rest of this year?

Knight of Swords – It will allow you to stay on target and adapt to the sometimes unorthodox methods needed in order to meet your goals. Thinking outside the box is important in order to hit your target.

Owl – Trust / Knowledge – How can the knowledge I’ve gained this year help me to trust myself better?

Wheel of Fortune – Remember that everything you’ve learned is carried with you throughout your life. These lessons don’t go away, but are carried forward with you. Like learning a foreign language, the more you use what you’ve learned, the more it will stick and become natural to you. Use these lessons you’ve gathered through life well and often in order to keep them fresh and easily awakened when you need them.

DECK USED: SNOWLAND TAROT

Changing Your Nature

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Winter Solstice Season OracleToday’s draw is the Hibernation/Dream card from the Winter Solstice Season Oracle.

Now is a down time for me. In an effort to hopefully bypass my yearly major depressive episode through the early part of the year, she encouraged me to take some time off away from home.. and thus away from work, and in doing so, leave my work at home. (I usually bring work with me when I go places.)

Today’s card is a reminder of that goal, and the purpose of leaving work at home instead of trying to find ways around that to work anyway.

Having a first half of the year without being dragged into depression’s pit would be amazing, and the hibernation/dream card keeps that potential alive in my mind to encourage these efforts, no matter how much rest and not working feels against my nature.

DECK USED:  WINTER SOLSTICE SEASON ORACLE

Magicznie_Czyli_Troche_Magi’s #tarotowewyzwaniegrudzien2022 Prompt
Questions for December 25th thru 30th

Snowland TarotWith My Family at the Christmas Table: How can I improve my relationship with my family?

Queen of Cups atop Six of Swords – Instead of walking away, try to put a supportive and nurturing spirit into your interactions with them.

Summary of the Year: What did 2022 give me?

The Emperor – 2022 gave you more control in general, and a better seat of power for helping others feel secure and supported.

Cheesecake with a Fortune: What good awaits me in the year 2023?

Nine of Wands – Overwhelm. You are going to have to work hard to make sure you don’t overdo it and pile too much on your plate.

Dream Map: What are my dreams now?

Judgement – To be aligned with the man you want to be, so that at the end of your life you can look back and be happy with the journey traveled and who you’ve become.

New Year’s Resolutions: What am I going to achieve in the new year?

The Moon – You will Beghtol come to terms with your fears and uncertainties.

New Year Revolutions: What would I like to change about myself in 2023?

Page of Swords atop Six of Cups – You would like to learn to view your past emotions and emotional experiences in a more positive light.

DECK USED: SNOWLAND TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

i took a long nap today. Hopefully not so long as to keep me from sleeping tonight.

The Tightening Noose

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Snowland Tarot - The DevilToday’s draw is the Devil card, which is traditionally a representation of temptations, addictions, and struggles with moderation. These issues, when it comes to the Devil card, are most often self inflicted instead of forced upon you by life or others.

When does it go from fun and games with friends to a little too far? Where is the line?

The imagery in this card brings that question to mind. The chains are too tight. Were they always that tight, or in their fun and games did they become too tight?

Todays card encourages us to take some time today to examine where in life you may be letting things get out of hand, and look for ways to ease up the grip of those chains before they tighten to the point you can no longer breathe.

DECK USED:  SNOWLAND TAROT

Magicznie_Czyli_Troche_Magi’s #tarotowewyzwaniegrudzien2022 Prompt
Questions for December 7th thru 12th

Winter Solstice Season OracleSleigh Full of Gifts: What can I give to my loved ones?

Solstice – Don’t be so rigid and unyielding. It’s time to ease up on your controlling grip now that the holiday rush is at an end, and embrace a more easy and relaxed attitude.

Krampus: What does my Shadow look like?

Dreidel – Forever hopeful.

Long December Evenings: What feeds my Shadow?

Forest – When you are true to yourself, you feed your Shadow the energy needed to stand tall and allow itself to be integrated.

Long December Nights: How can I work with my Shadow?

Storm – Confront your fears.

Dark December Mornings: How can I integrate my Shadow?

Pine Cone – Do the work. There are no shortcuts.

Lights: What will light up my world and make me think more positively?

Eggnog – Practice gratitude. It doesn’t mean ignoring the problems, dangers, and bad parts. It means taking time to make sure you are recognizing and reflecting on the good stuff so that it doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

DECK USED: WINTER SOLSTICE SEASON ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

Today was a day of rest and I managed to take TWO naps, and I soaked in the bath.