🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Spot the Difference

Prompt: “Below is a 3-card spread from Enchanted Forest Felines Tarot and a question/prompt to go with it. Your task is to pull the same three cards from your deck(s) and tell us how you might interpret these decks differently, and why. Same question, same cards, different decks. And if you’d read them similarly? Tell us that, and explain why!

Enchanted Felines Tarot - Knight of Wands, Five of Swords, Page of Wands

Question: What could I do to inspire a little more creativity and passion into my life?

Look closer at those things that strike your interest and curiosity (Page of Branches).  You can’t chase every passion and explore every whim that wanders by.  Some of them?  You just have to let go (Five of Dandelions), in order to allow you to chase after the ones that truly inspire you (Knight of Branches).

Stolen Child Tarot - Page of Flame, Five of Zephyrs, Knight of Flame

Question: What could I do to inspire a little more creativity and passion into my life?

Get in touch with your feelings of childish enthusiasm. Where have you abandoned your dreams and how can you reconnect with them and those feelings they inspire? (Page of Flame)  Trying too hard on a path that’s not right for you will only cause you to feel an unnecessary sense of struggle and defeat (Five of Zephyrs).   Instead, reach for those things that lift you up, create a sense of confidence, and light within you a passion to follow your dreams (Knight of Flame).

DECK USED: ENCHANTED FOREST FELINES TAROT AND THE STOLEN CHILD TAROT

Idols and Role Models

Today’s meditation was skipped, as was the card of the day, sue to migraine issues.

@thetarotprofessor Self Love Challenge Prompt
Question: Find your idol or role model in the tarot. (For example: Which figure in the tarot cards do you admire the most? Which card’s energy do you find yourself trying to channel and embody most often?)

IMG_E1111

Start listing all the reasons why this tarot card/figure is your role model.

Honestly? There are so many I could choose for this exercise, but I chose the first two that came to mind. Note that the choice of these cards is very much based upon their imagery. In other decks, it would be different cards.

Why do you admire them so much?

Five of Flame (Wands) – They fight for what they want, but never take it so far that it tears apart the family unit in the process. Conflicts happen, but the connections and ties that bind remain strong.

Ten of Swords – Fierce and wild, she survives against all odds.  The storm may take her to her knees, and yet she will charge forward still, screaming in the face of defeat and never giving up.

Why do you want to be like them?

Five of Flame (Wands) –  I like the idea that our individuality is not detracted from even when we belong to each other as a group or a family.  I like the idea that you can fight for what you believe in, even butt heads with others of your inner circle concerning what you believe in, and still those others remain just as cherished and important to you as ever.

Ten of Swords – That fierce energy to take on every challenge as it comes, and tear through it to move forward to the next.  You may not win them all, but that survivor’s spirit to fight ever forward is a draw for me.

What personality traits does this tarot figure have?

Five of Flame (Wands) – Strong. Stubborn. Not afraid of conflict. Independent without having to be alone.  Loving with strong priorities towards what is right for them balanced with those that they love.

Ten of Swords – Fierce.  Volatile. A survivor. Determined, with a never give up attitude.

What do others think of this tarot figure?

Five of Flame (Wands) – They are aware that this figure is determined and stubborn, and yet feel safe in their presence and even when in conflict with them, because they know that the disagreement will not wreck that connection. This provides a sense of security, even in moments of chaos.

Ten of Swords – Probably a bit of annoying that they always seem to be in chaos.  And yet there’s admiration there as well, for others recognize that they have been through a lot, and yet are still going strong and just as fierce as ever.

How does this tarot figure treat their family and friends?

Five of Flame (Wands) – They support and value their family and friends, but don’t allow them the power of peer pressure and is not a people pleaser.

Ten of Swords – Possibly a bit neglectful. They’re too focused on dealing with what is right in front of them and needing dealt with, slaying the chaos and surviving… that makes everything beyond that focus more of an afterthought.

What kind of lover or partner is this tarot figure?

Five of Flame (Wands) – Possibly a bit selfish, but they won’t leave you hanging entirely.

Ten of Swords – Wild in bed.  The type of lover that wants to wring ever last drop of pleasure out of the experience and break the bed in the process.

How does this tarot figure react when threatened or insulted?

Five of Flame (Wands) – I would say that this depends on who is doing the threatening or insulting.  In general, I can see them standing tall against these experiences, and allowing what is said to slide off their back like rain off of a slicker.

Ten of Swords – Immediately going on the offensive… or walking away because it’s not worth their time.  There is no middle ground.

Read the list back to yourself slowly and meaningfully. Let the magnificence of your tarot idol wash over you.

Take a moment to realize that you too embody these qualities. The reason role models and idols and mentors resonate with us so deeply is that we see ourselves in them.

Okay. I sort of disagree with the last statement (even if it is true for the two cards I chose in this exercise).

Although I think that sometimes the above is true, I feel that far more often individuals become our idols, role models, and mentors because deep down we see the potential of who we want to become within them. Those qualities then become a part of us because of that desire as we seek to follow their example.

I agree, though, that it means all those things listed above then become a part of who we are, for in our admiration we (whether subconsciously or consciously) begin to strive to be more like them, and those qualities we admire begin to develop within ourselves.

DECKS USED: THE STOLEN CHILD TAROT AND TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM

Daily Self Kindness

I actually skipped all cardwork for today. I knew the cards I wanted to use for the exercise above and already had pictures of them to work with.  I deleted and/or removed other cardwork to another day.

Full Moon in Sagittarius – May 2021

On Wednesday is the full moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is brought to you by Ethony‘s Tarot By the Moon series.

Stolen Child Tarot - Sagittarius Full Moon Tarot Reading

1. What impulses need taming?

Six of Flame – Be unique. Fitting in isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.  You know this already but sometimes you forget or the awareness gets pushed aside a bit.  It’s okay for that to happen as long as you remain true to your values and ethics, but it’s better to return back to the confidence of self that allows you to not feel the desire to fit in in the first place.

2. Where can I best direct my energy?

The Emperor – Own your environment, and own yourself. Focus on becoming better seated in your element and projecting that true strength that lives within you and that others depend on.  This doesn’t mean you are supporting them, but when you simply stand beside them, it makes them stronger as a result.

3. How can I best redirect my aggression?

Five of Oak – Don’t allow your feelings of scarcity to trigger you into being miserly. Turn it around into generosity instead.  Just because you feel like things are not going well doesn’t mean that’s the truth.  Work at letting go of the inward directed aggression that feelings of scarcity create. Instead, look at all you have and all you offer to others, and you can see just how well things are actually going.

4. How can I add a little spice to my life?

Page of Oak – Lean in.  Finding the fun and finding your way forward sometimes requires a bit more dedication than others. Push forward to seek more joy and more positivity.  Actively commit to this path and put genuine effort into the process. Don’t put it off for later as your happiness is important.

5a. What personal beliefs need re-examining?

King of Zephyrs – You don’t have to be harsh to be “large and in charge”.  Not everything has to be a battle plan with a sharp tongue and sharper mind behind the wheel 100% of the time.  Everyone needs down time.

5b. What spiritual beliefs need re-examining?

The Star – Leaving things up to chance now and then is not irresponsible and will work out just fine. Your guides are there and will help in times of need, so too will your own intuition.  The world… the universe… it will provide.  So relax a bit and enjoy a bit more of the world around you instead of believing that you need to have your thumb on the pulse of everything all the time.

DECK USED: STOLEN CHILD TAROT

Negative Assumptions

IMG_1231Today’s meditation was just over thirteen minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app, which I combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretches and forearm flexor stretching.

I also had to take a slight break about half way through to write down some notes for today’s COTD, as sometimes perspectives come at inconvenient times and this was one of those.  I don’t have the memory retention needed to recall these thoughts later, so I paused to take them down, then continued with the meditation after.

The focus of today’s meditation was on empathy, and the difference between empathy and sympathy. Sympathy can sometimes be taken as an insult, because there’s no sharing of the feeling just “poor you, you feel like this”.   Where empathy is sharing an emotion, speaking from a place of sharing.  Sometimes when we empathize with others, we find ourselves in a place where we just don’t know what to say for this other person.  The meditation today included a reminder that it’s okay to simply say “I don’t know what to say, but I’m glad you told me / are sharing this with me / allowing me to share this time with you”.

Stolen Child Tarot and Flower Fortune CardsToday’s draw is the Two of Zephyrs (Swords), which is traditionally a representation of looking inward for the wisdom to make difficult decisions, finding oneself at a crossroads, or trying to ignore the the need to make a decision which ends up in stagnancy and stewing.

What stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the interaction between the rat and the vulture in the foreground. That combined with the “choose a child/egg” theme going on in the background speaks to me of conflict. Specifically inner conflict.

We’re starting a new affirmation deck today, and in the Flower Fortune card for today we see a prickly cactus that carries with it a feeling of caution and conflict combined with the words “The person you desire feels the same about you”. Actually… he loves me more. But that’s beside the point, because the actual message here is about our assumptions.  It’s about the assumption that someone wouldn’t feel the same… and how that assumption can hold us back from going after what we want, whether it’s a romantic relationship, a potential friendship, a job promotion, etc.

Today’s cards are about “predicting the future” by making negative assumptions, and how hope and positive thinking can help lighten that load of worry and fear, making the choice to go after what we truly want easier.

DECK USED:  STOLEN CHILD TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

LionHart’s Reap & Sow Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question
: What thoughts, beliefs or feelings are hindering my growth?

Shapeshifter Tarot

 Feelings Five of Pentacles – Recalcitrance.  The desire to close myself off from others, shirk away from society, and be alone all the time, whether it is healthy for me or not.  This is not healthy, but it is an urge that I feel more often than not.

BeliefsTranscendence (Judgement) – That I have to do everything perfect and that my mistakes along the way are unforgivable and something that I have to carry with me always.  High expectations and demanding perfection in all things all the time is unhealthy.

Thoughts The Sun – My perception of fun and play, happiness and success. Perhaps it is all far more simple and far less intense that I seem to always seem to think it’s supposed to be.  Maybe it’s not as big as it at first appears from the outside looking in.

DECK USED:  SHAPESHIFTER TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsMay2021 Challenge Prompt
Question
: What value do you add to the lives of those around you?

The Stolen Child Tarot7 of Oak – Nurturing care blended with a heavy dose of patience. It really is only with myself that I am an impatient asshole. With others, I have far more patience and with those that live under my roof and I share my space with, that extends a good deal further. Two obvious examples of this include the fact that my sister moved in with me temporarily over a decade ago… and still living here, and then last year our childhood mentor was stuck with nowhere to go after they closed the borders due to the pandemic and has lived here for over a year now, waiting for restrictions to lift so that she can go home.

8 of Oak – Others that depend on me to help them with their own stability also depend on the skills I have spent time honing and perfecting. Spiders are the greatest of all architects, building unique and delicately precise structures in all sorts of spaces and areas. Like all skills, this is something that is part instinct and part practice.  My own skills are much the same, and when I find one that I excel at I use it to support not just myself but those that depend on me as well.

6 of Brine – Emotional support.  I may not be particularly skilled with interpreting and processing my own emotions, but I am a good listener and I have the ability to take in stride other’s emotions help them find the path back to calm once more after the torrent of their emotions has been released.

DECK USED:  STOLEN CHILD TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Although I really didn’t want to, I took a nap.  I wasn’t feeling all that great and the nap seems to have helped. I’m all kinds of bummed that they cut down another tree across the street.  That’s three now, and they cut all the branches off of another one on the side facing the lot that’s being worked on, but at least that tree is still standing.  For the time being anyway.  Although, I think once the building is constructed I won’t be able to see it anymore.

The Ant and The Grasshopper

IMG_4015Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long and was attached to the end of my yoga practice.   I had read the quote pictured in this blog post prior to going into my yoga practice, and it stuck with me through the practice and into the meditation.

It had me considering some of those people I have met in life that have appeared cold to me, and how I often come off to others as cold and distant.  You have told me in the past that these people just haven’t had the chance to get to know me, but the fact is?  Should they need to get to know me to know that I’m not cold and distant? Should they need to get to know me in order to realize I, too, have feelings?

And yet, that impression?  Is mine.   That distance is created by me, whether it’s to protect myself or to protect them from the depression and vicious negativity I direct toward myself… or both.

Just the meandering path of my mind during that time… something to share.

Nine of Oak - Nine of Pentacles - Stolen Child TarotToday’s draw is is the Nine of Oak (Nine of Pentacles) which is traditionally a representation of solitary accomplishment.  That is to say, it represents that time at the end of a journey where you have accomplished your goal and find yourself in a place of abundance.   During this time, there is a moment when you enjoy that abundance on your own before moving on to sharing it with others.   The Nine of Pentacles is that moment of enjoyment and wealth that comes prior to the “sharing the wealth”.

What I actually see today in the imagery of this card, though, isn’t that moment… but the moment that comes just before it.   In the imagery of this card I see the moment when you are counting your resources and tucking things away, storing up and preparing.  The squirrel and the squirrel child here are not wallowing in their wealth and reflecting on how well they’ve done.  They are not in a moment of contentment and satiation.  But they are headed in that direction.

The message here is one of encouragement.  A reminder that I am doing well and the preparations I have made over time to create a sense of stability and security are going to pay off when I need them to.

DECK USED:  STOLEN CHILD TAROT

#TarotForGrowthApril Challenge Prompt
Question
: What can I do to remind myself of the hand my spirit guides play in my life? (built off yesterday’s cards)

Isidore Tarot

Reading Summary: Listen to and trust your intuition (The Priestess) instead of allowing the brain to overcome (Five of Swords) and steal away (Seven of Swords) the surety and comfort (King of Cups) that being in touch with that inner voice creates.

Take Away:  Like most people, my brain loves.. loves to cast doubt.  And in finding that connection to my spirit guides that I’ve been seeking?  That is the biggest hurdle to traverse. As connected as I am to my intuition, it’s still extremely hard to keep my brain from stepping in to cast doubts on what doesn’t feel quite fully manifested as yet.

DECK USED:  ISIDORE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2020 Challenge Prompt
Question
: What is my superpower?

Maruco Animal TarotReading Summary: Having a clear head (Queen of Swords) and an open mind (Page of Swords) while taking control (The Emperor) of any situation that requires flexibility and adaptation (Wheel of Fortune).

Take Away:  Perhaps this skill is because I have spent so much of my life suppressing my emotions, but when situations require a clear head, this is not something I usually struggle with.   The emotions turn off, and my brain kicks it up a notch. 

This is actually something I’ve been a bit worried about, when considering the new level of emotions and openness to my emotions that I’ve been slowly exploring and developing over time.  There is always that bit of worry that that objective, clearheaded intellect will become clouded by emotion and damage my ability to step back and see multiple perspectives without the pollution of bias getting in the way.

DECK USED:  MARUCO ANIMAL TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question
: How can I become more self loving?

Fairy Lights Tarot

Reading Summary: Work on taking more chances (Left Card) and entertain less self recrimination (Middle Card) and self doubt (Right Card).

The imagery in the left card gives me the impression of swinging from a branch over a cliff, and it reminds me of those swings kids use to swing out over swimming holes and jump.  Sometimes? Taking chances leads to adventure and joyous moments that you can’t find any other way.

In the middle card, the posture of the figures in the center speaks to me of shame and a feeling of defense from attack.   This impression is strengthened by the darkness of the shadows of their robes.

The moon in the right card frowns down upon the figures along the path.  While some bound forward toward that judging visage, others hold back, unsure and fearful.  The red and orange colors in this card also blend into that of the center card, indicating  a connection… a similarity of emotion between the two.

Take Away:  If I want to be more self loving, I need to let go of my self recriminations, my hesitations, and my self doubt.  Instead of allowing these moments to fill my life, I need to leap at the chance to grab hold of the opportunities for joy and revel in the fun that comes with new adventures.

DECK USED:  FAIRY LIGHTS TAROT

It’s Going To Be Okay

Today’s meditation was yet again non-existent.  I kinda sorta might have fallen asleep instead. Not on purpose, mind you, but apparently I was more in need of sleep than I was of meditation because I managed to fall asleep in my pirifomris stretch. As you might imagine, it was not easy to get out of after having slept in that position for about an hour.

Ten of Zephyrs - Ten of Swords - Stolen Child TarotToday’s draw is the Ten of Zephyrs (Ten of Swords) which is traditionally interpreted as coming to the end of a rough and arduous journey and can often indicate that that ending is fraught with experiences of pain, loss, or betrayal.

With the imagery on today’s card, what I see here is definitely the end of a road, but I also see a message of safety and care.   The resting child and the vulture that looks over it, a bird of pray and a scavenger… and yet also a watchful protector.

What I see here is a message of reassurance, and after the triggering event last night… a message that I needed to hear.   That message says that I am looked over and protected, even when I am at weakest and most vulnerable.

DECK USED:  STOLEN CHILD TAROT

#TarotForGrowthApril Challenge Prompt
Question
: How can I embrace that power? (built off yesterday’s cards)

The Good Tarot

Intuitive Interpretation: Remain open and receptive to love and nurturing.

Take Away:  The power that was referenced yesterday had to do with the touch of guidance from my spirit guides within my choices and my moral compass.  Today’s cards indicate that in order to embrace that touch within my life I need to stop ignoring their presence and pushing away the possibility of them being a hand in things, and open myself up to being more receptive to their presence, guidance, and love.

DECK USED:  THE GOOD TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsApr2020 Challenge Prompt
Question
: Where do I need to direct more gratitude?

Fantastical Creatures TarotReading Summary:  Instead of spending so much time trying to spread myself thin pushing forward (Seven of Cups) I need to look within and find the fortitude (Strength) that will allow me to accept that things are good (Nine of Pentacles) and enjoy that things are good. (Ten of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I spend a lot of time planning for the future and freaking out about if I’m doing enough and how I can do more.  The cards here speak of the need to let up on those habits and appreciate the here and now.  Yes, there’s a lot going on now to worry about, but the truth is that we are okay.  We have the ability to get food and medications that are needed.  We aren’t on the street or struggling with homelessness.   We are very, very fortunate in all that we have and I need to set aside that diligence and hyper-vigilance a bit to allow myself time to appreciate that.

DECK USED:  FANTASTICAL CREATURES TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question
: What motivates me?

Lili White Tarot

Reading Summary:  The need for spirituality and balance in my life (Temperance), my moral compass (Judgement), and my need for stability and security (King of Pentacles).

Take Away:  One of the core tenants and foundations of my faith is balance.  It is one of the energies that I revere, even in my daily devotional and, even beyond spirituality… or perhaps it is because it is such an integral part of it, balance is an important part of how I view life and the world as a whole.  

My moral compass rules my life.   Sometimes I slip, just like everyone does.  But it is finding balance and holding strong to my moral compass that allow me to move forward with certainty.

The last card is a representation of my need for stability and security.  This need is rooted in fear, yes… but it is also rooted in my connection with the earth.  The core need within me to be grounded is an overpowering drive, and absolute need for me, and that need is not about fear but about what feels right to me and how I connect to the world around me.  Without that grounding force…. there is no sure footing beneath my feet to walk upon my path.

DECK USED:  LILI WHITE TAROT

#MidnightTarotChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I be more forgiving?

New Liminal Tarot

Reading Summary: Make the choice (Two of Swords) to accept that sometimes shit just falls apart (Ten of Swords) and make a conscious decision to rise above those moments and focus on recovery efforts (Queen of Discs).

Take Away:  This speaks of stepping away from thoughts of blame and instead stepping forward to offer support.   In doing this, you allow yourself to see things from the other person’s perspective rather than just your own, which fosters the ability to forgive more easily those that trespass upon us.

DECK USED:  NEW LIMINAL TAROT