tarot and psychology

Taking Stock of Personal Boundaries

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app. I did not include my piriformis stretching because the meditation was done at my aunt’s house. (I also had a nap after.)

The focus of today’s meditation was about criticism and how to better deal with it when it’s offered.  Some people are assholes, and others just don’t know how to deliver criticism in a constructive way. Neither of these mean you have to take criticism personally when it’s directed your way.  Just listen and hear what they have to say, and if there’s a seed of something useful in there, use it and let the rest just fall away.  The insult, whether intended or not? Isn’t worth worrying over, only the info and lesson are worth consideration.

TV Series Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Knight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of ones resources, finances, home, health, work, or manifestations. It is about actively pursuing ones basic needs and work related endeavors.

The imagery in this card, with the close inspection of the coin the man holds, speaks to me of examining ones foundations and values.

This process is especially important when one is dealing with their own personal boundaries that are mentioned in the affirmation card for today. Personal boundaries are not about restricting you, instead they’re about ensuring others respect your space and energy.

I am often quite rigid in my boundaries as a good majority of them are set by my moral compass … but not all. The message within these two cards combined is that it’s important to look at your boundaries and make sure that they have value and are working for you.

It doesn’t matter if they are working for other people, but rather if they hold value for you and why. Looking at your boundaries in this way helps reinforce them, and also helps in sorting out the ones that you’ve grown beyond or are no longer working for you.

DECK USED:  TV SERIES TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What takes me out of my comfort zone?

Fantastic Being CardsThe Stars (Aspirations) – Stepping away from what’s comfortable and familiar to try something new and different. Letting go of things that aren’t working so that these new and different things can flourish and fill in the gaps.

Sphinx (Awe & Wonder) – When I need to self-appreciate it creates a sense of discomfort for me. I’ve slowly learned to take compliments and even appreciate them, but directing such sentiments toward myself is much more difficult and… awkward.

Axolotl (Regeneration) – Loss.  I can deal with a myriad of different painful experiences, but loss is not one of those that I handle all that well. The feeling of powerlessness makes picking up the pieces after loss and finding a way to reform and move forward feel a bit like fumbling around in the dark.

DECK USED:  FANTASTIC BEING MANIFESTATION CARDS

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Draw or write something free form inspired by the card(s).

TV Series Tarot(Knight of Cups) Alfred is a brave turtle owned by Miss Maggie Penelope Tweedman. He lives in a spacious glass house where he watches over her while she sleeps at night, and each morning he comes out of his little log shelter to greet her good morning and have his bath in the bathroom sink, where she scrubs his shell til it gleams.

(Queen of Cups) She changes his water in the pond beside his shelter before she leaves each day, and before he’s left alone, she gives him lush, yummy leaves to munch on all day.

Each day it is peacefully quiet other than the ticking that is a part of every hour of every day. Each day  is the same, and he goes about his life well cared for by Miss Maggie, who comes home in the evenings every day with a cricket treat for him to eat and play time outside his home where he’s taken on great adventures to other realms.

(The Tower) Then one day, Miss Maggie did not come home at the end of the day.  The light sky became dark and he was left alone for much longer than usual.  His glass home sat in the dark with no lamp to shine light upon him and no cricket treats to eat.  Surely the world is coming to an end!  Surely someone has forgotten about him, and Miss Maggie is gone, and his old soul wept at the sudden change of events.

For two days no one came and his water became dirty.  He was so hungry, and so alone.  He emerged from his shelter each morning seeking his lovely Maggie to come care for him, but she didn’t come. Nor did she come in the evenings any longer to bring him treats.  And then someone that was not Miss Maggie showed up and peered into his home. He was lifted out, poked and prodded.  Examined. And he knew this to be the end.  Of course, Alfred could not read.  For the uniformed human with the yellow emblem on his shirt that slipped him into a dark safe place that Alfred thought for sure was the end of his time, was actually simply packing him up to take them to Miss Maggie’s new home.

DECK USED:  TV SERIES TAROT

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Question for June 15th & 16th

Flora Healing CardsWhat does self-love mean to me?
Foxglove (Convincing), Aloe (Restore), Delphinium (Amend)

Self-love means to me that there are things I can do for myself to help me recover from working too hard, and adjust  how I do things so that I don’t have to work quite so hard going forward.  It is also a topic that requires a bit of nudging and pushing for me to participate in and keep up on. I do not always feel that I deserve these kindnesses and gentle but restorative acts.  Sometimes I don’t feel that I have enough -time- for them, which means fitting them in and getting them done can often require a bit of coaxing and a lot of nudging.

A self-love message for my future self.
Lily (Whorl) and Hyacinth (Waves)

Be less rigid and lean into those skills, abilities, and tools in your arsenal to take you forward when things feel hopeless or out of control.  Everything in life is an ebb and flow, and nothing is ever truly still.  Do you want to ride out the shifts of life’s currents? Or stay still and sink?

DECK USED:  FLORA HEALING RESTORATIVE CARDS
Daily Self Kindness

I took along not just my sister, but also both Z and J with me when I went to my aunt’s house today.  The two extra guests to feed and entertain kept her so distracted that she didn’t have an opportunity to be rude or snide.

Morning Bonus Read – Intuitive Blocks

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Scrying Ink Lenormand - Blocking Intuition Reading

Your current true self.

Heart – I wrote the other day about having one’s heart on their sleeve in a poem that was specifically about Gideon, but the truth is that mine is on my sleeve as well.  I may not flash as bright and bold, but this card tells me that I express my love and dedication to Gideon, as well as my care and love of others, just fine.

What is blocking you?

Garden – Social obligations. When you spend too much time around other people, you naturally begin to close down a bit on your clairsentience, as otherwise you risk sliding into overwhelm and ending up too drained by the experience. In other words, your intuition requires a certain amount of alone time that you’re not getting right now.

Advice to remove blockage.

Stork – Lean into change. You’ve been forcing stagnation in order to avoid letting go. You need to instead let things go and let the changes happen.  They’re even changes you -want- thus, the avoidance is even less helpful.

What is beneath the surface?

Tree – A long standing attachment to the way things have been done, and a connection to a spiritual path that you need to re-connect with.  Start doing the things you know keep you balanced and centered.

Divine guidance.

Man – Suck it up buttercup.  Grow a set and get your ass moving on the changes you need to lean into, and the spiritual habits and self care you need to reconnect with.

DECK USED:  SCRYING INK LENORMAND

Dive In

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IMG_8135Today’s meditation was just under fifteen minutes long, and like yesterday it was not a guided meditation, and I did my piriformis stretches separately from the meditation.

The focus of today’s meditation was on the graphic included to the right in this post.  It felt really fitting, as I was struggling with a very unreasonable and disgruntled customer today.  It also sets me up for dealing with what’s coming tomorrow, as we’ll be meeting up with my aunt and cousin tomorrow.

I want to remember the theme for today’s meditation for that event tomorrow, and I want to continue to be kind, even if they are not.  Kind to myself and others… even if they end up unpleasant and possibly pissing me off, as they have so often done in the past.

Anne of Green Gables Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Page of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s enthusiasm, passions, interests, and inner spark.  This often communicates into themes to do with learning a better way to go about obtaining one’s goals and ambitions, discovering new techniques or methods of diving into one’s interests, and reconnecting with one’s drive and passion for something that sparks one’s enthusiasm.

In this card the girl in the field dances in the dark, connecting to the joy of the dance itself and the night sky, both of which spark her inner fire.

Combined with the affirmation card for today, the message that I see in these cards is about making sure that when you find something that really speaks to you and inspires you, that you don’t just push it aside but take a moment to dive in and enjoy.  Maybe it’ll be a passing fancy, or it could develop into a lifelong passion.  Either way, to enrich one’s life such responses need to be explored, not pushed away and ignored.

DECK USED:  ANNE OF GREEN GABLES TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#PrideintheTarot Challenge
Questions for June 11th thru 14th

Bach Flowers OracleA card for loving myself.

Red Chestnut – Make a conscious effort to step away from worry and anxiety. These things don’t help you or those around you, but are only holding you back and causing you harm. Let go of the “what if’s” and the fear of the unknown and allow serenity to slide into place instead.

A card for protecting myself.

Holly – You don’t need to flex so hard.  Your spirit guides and the energies that guide you are there to help in keeping you safe. You’re doing the things needed to protect yourself, and they are filling in the gaps.

A card for freeing myself.

Hornbeam – You need to get more active.  It’s all well and good to do your work and spend time with Gideon, to make sure you’re getting enough rest, etc.  But it’s through physical exertion that you truly purge your energies, and doing so in nature allows good, refreshing energies to then flow in to replace the negative being purged.  Get out and get moving among nature, even if it’s just a little bit here and there.

A card for rest.

Wild Rose – As mentioned in another reading recently, not all rest is about naps and relaxation.  Sometimes the rest you need comes through activity and exertion.  Echoing back to the “freeing myself” question, you need to get out in nature and allow the healing energy to flow through you as you purge what needs released.

DECK USED:  BACH FLOWERS ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About pain…
Question: Are there are ways to avoid the most painful moments in life without stunting one’s growth?

Anne of Green Gables TarotReading Summary: Happiness can be found either way (Ten of Cups), but there is no growth (Ace of Swords Rx) without change (Death).

Take Away: The answer here is no.  Although it’s possible to live a happy and contented life without those most painful moments, in order to grow, there must be change… and the most influential changes in our life include pain. 

Therefore, these most painful moments are necessary for our growth, allowing us to learn and expand through the experience and pain involved.

DECK USED:  ANNE OF GREEN GABLES TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Choosing to play Enu tonight in roleplay with Gideon turned out to be a really good self kindness tonight, as Enu’s natural cheerfulness helped to lift me up out of the funk I fell into after learning about tomorrow’s family get together.

The Importance of Self Care

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IMG_2335Today’s meditation was about fifteen minutes long and was not a guided meditation, nor did it include my piriformis stretching (which I did separately).  Instead it was a quiet meditation with breathing exercise, and an experiment with meditating with a large piece of garnet while focusing on the piece of artwork and writing by Glen Martin Taylor that is displayed to the right.

This piece and connected text really touched me deeply, as it speaks to me of my own personal struggles at the moment with letting go of the habits and methods that aren’t working for me in order to begin something better.  I’m struggling with letting go, even though I know I need to and even want to.

It speaks to me of the fear that I can’t quite articulate.  The fear that once I let go, nothing will fill the void and I will be left floating and untethered.

Headless Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Ten of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of overwhelm and potential burnout. The card is an indication of being overworked or carrying too much burden and the need to redistribute responsibility to ease these issues.

I really like the colors in this Ten of Wands.  I’m not always all that excited about vibrant colors, but for some reason this particular color scheme really speaks to me of that approaching moment of burnout and the heavy weight that responsibilities can often impose upon us.

Combined with the affirmation card for today, what we see here is a reminder that there’s only so much we can do.  We can only go so far, take on so much, before we break.  And when we break? We’re no good to anyone, including ourselves.   Better to pace yourself, pick and choose your obligations, and make sure that there is time in your schedule to take care of yourself.  After all, if you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll soon no longer have the ability to take care of anyone else either.

DECK USED:  HEADLESS TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for June 12th thru 14th

Whispering Herbs Healing CardsWhat do I need to start?
Marshmallow (Water) and Cascara Sagrada (Metal)

When you stand strong for what you believe in, it doesn’t always have to be an active thing.  Remember that there doesn’t always have to be a fight involved to get your point across.  Sometimes?  Just a look is enough to convey all that needs to be said, and can touch people just as deeply or deeper than any words that you may want to share.

What do I need to stop?
Marshmallow (Metal) and Parsley (Fire)

You have so much inspiration and enthusiasm for so many things that it can at time cause you to stew and spin rather than move forward.  Although standing still to find your bearings is good, there’s another step that you’ve been neglecting.  Make sure you’re picking and choosing your pursuits instead of trying to do everything at once. Too many interests at once can cause things to break down and fall apart.

What do I need to change?
Chaparral (Earth) and Yellow Dock (Wood)

I need to stop clinging to the things that are familiar just because they’re familiar.  If something is no longer serving me or is unhealthy for me, I need to make sure I’m letting it go instead of trying to hold on.  Without letting go of the stuff that doesn’t work, there’s no room for the stuff that will.  By holding back, I’m stirring up feelings of resentment that I’m then trying to ignore.  Stop ignoring the problem and start working on releasing those things and mentalities that I’m feeling such a desperate need to cling to.

DECK USED:  WHISPERING HERBS HEALING CARDS

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: Concerning her happiness and send of security, how is Miss Luna feeling these days?

Headless TarotReading Summary: The Tower and Justice are connected through darkness in color combinations and the way that the bodies tilt into each other. The Nine of Cups and Page of Wands connect through vibrancy and body language. Their opened armed stance for each figure, combined with both being in dance poses with one leg lifted.  Together, the dance poses combined with open arms depicts a sense of safety and freedom.

Take Away: She’s feeling engaged and very happy, satisfied and content (Page of Wands atop Ten of Cups). There’s a bit of stress and uncertainty going on with her right now because of the construction next-door (The Tower), but I’ve been able to mitigate that (Justice) a bit by making sure that the sliding glass door is closed when they are working and minimizing the disruption and noise within the condo as best I can.

DECK USED:  HEADLESS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I got some cuddle time with Gideon yesterday before bed and… I didn’t realize how tight I was until I was snuggled up and the knots started to relax.

Don’t Overload Yourself

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IMG_2285Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app with added interval timer for my pirifomis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was about consistency in one’s practice.  This is something that I really struggle with and I don’t think it has anything to do with the time it takes to do the meditation. The meditation went through the benefits of a regular meditation practice, as well as time management techniques on how to help fitting a regular practice into your every day.

The thing is?  I don’t think that my recalcitrance has anything to do with time.  I think it has to do with my self-destructive tendencies. I think that like so many other things such as my occasional disenchantment with food, my occasional risk taking behavior, and temptations to harm  myself stretched out over the length of my life… the avoidance is another way to neglect myself and otherwise hurt myself.

Business Class Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Ace of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings and awakening opportunities in the area of one’s finances, resources, work, home, health, and other manifestation abilities.

Sometimes it can be hard  when toiling away at our job or starting a new project, or even just working to support ourselves or our loved ones, to remember that there are opportunities all around us all the time.  The thing is?  Even those that are good at spotting those opportunities can’t jump on every single one of them.   We have to pick and choose.

Today’s cards are a reminder of that process of making choices. We choose what happens in our lives, and we choose where we go.  When opportunities arrive, we choose whether to jump on them, or let them slide by.  One of the keys to a healthy and happy life is making absolutely certain that we don’t jump on so many of those opportunities that we run out of the space and time to give ourselves the rest and self care we need along the way.

DECK USED:  BUSINESS CLASS TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Questions for June 12th & 13th

Salt + Sea Energy OracleHow can I be kinder to myself?

The Flamingo and The Crab – Let go of your recalcitrance when it comes to allowing others to work with you. Remember that others are there to support you and you don’t have to do it alone.

Pay attention to opportunities to do things in an unusual way. Don’t get so stuck in the mud did she miss out on something that should be much easier than it is when doing it the old way.

How am I limiting my self-love?

The Seahorse and Sunrise – Let go of doubts and just trust. Your intuition has never served you wrong, so twisting in the wind instead of just allowing it to lead is useless.

Also, you need to start doing your daily devotion and gratitude practice again and making sure that you’re fitting in your meditation in the morning. Stop putting it off.

DECK USED:  SALT + SEA ENERGY ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About peace…
Question: How can I best foster a healthy peace in my life during my time of rest this week?

Business Class TarotReading Summary: You’re spending too much time stressing (Nine of Swords) over not advancing as fast as you want and getting where you want to go (Knight of Pentacles) instead of celebrating your achievements so far (Six of Wands).

Take Away: More celebration and less stressing is very important.  You can’t go into a restful week with your brain filled with “should have done” and “should do” thoughts.

Let go of these thoughts and the stress that they create.  Get out of your head and stop worrying so much about where you’re going.  Look, instead, at how far you’ve come.  If you need help with that?  Gideon would probably be more than happy to rehash all your accomplishments from the past couple of years in order to show you just how far you’ve come.

DECK USED:  BUSINESS CLASS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I went through a number of Witches’ Box subscription boxes that I’d been putting off opening up and going through, and included Gideon in the process.  It was really nice doing it with him and far more fun than doing it alone.

Struggle Isn’t Failure

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I kept putting it off and putting it off and… I ended up running out of time.

Veleda Woods Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of hard work and progressing on one’s skills and abilities to build in an expertise.  This mastering of a skill can be through repetitive action or apprenticeship, and can lead to perfectionism when the energy of this card goes too far.

Sometimes, when we are on a path to working on a skill or ability, it can feel like it’s taking forever or that we’re not getting anywhere.  I know that I personally feel that way quite often.  I think it’s because so often so many things come easily to me.  Writing, photography, most of the creative endeavors I’m interested in exploring, etc.  So that when something comes up that I want to master that is a bit more challenging comes about, it feels like I’m standing still not because I’m not making progress… but because the speed of my progress is significantly decreased from what I’m used to.

Today’s cards are a reminder that even when we’re struggling with learning a new skill, it doesn’t mean we can’t learn it or won’t succeed.  it just means it might take a little longer than we’d like.  Be gentle with yourself and don’t put yourself down during these times.  Instead, focus on encouragement and celebrate every small accomplishment… and eventually, you’ll get there.

DECK USED:  VELEDA WOODS TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Question: What is a positive influence in my life right now?

Veleda OracleLove atop Adventure, Courage – Roleplay with Gideon. The writing we do, the characters and worlds we build… all of it.  It’s an adventure that we play out together.  An expression of our love as we build stories and lives out of our imaginations, flesh them out through time and words and creativity, and bond through them with each adventure we experience together with each other.

Courage, Foundation atop Awakening – Restructuring how I treat myself and how I balance my life from the ground up. This is something I’ve been working on for some time now and it’s definitely a positive influence on my life.  I’m much healthier and happier now than I have been in the past with my old methods of doing things.  There’s still a long way to go in the journey though.

DECK USED:  VELEDA ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About nature…
Question: Why does time in nature (or the lack thereof) have such a profound affect on my well-being?

Veleda Woods TarotReading Summary: You take energy from the trees and the green and the growing things (Seven of Swords), which lifts your spirits (Nine of Cups) and helps you feel satiated and at peace (Ten of Cups).

Take Away: These times in the forest helps you stay balanced by providing you with clean and sustainable energy that feels pure and good, filling you with positivity and positive influence.

Like a bath refreshes the skin or a long drink of water refreshes the body, the time spent in nature refreshes your energy and your soul, giving you a much needed uplift in not just your energy but also your mood.

DECK USED:  VELEDA WOODS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I made sure to get through my post office haul today so that I wouldn’t have to do more of it tomorrow and through the weekend.  With time off this week, I wanted to get a few things out of the way and it felt good to be able to do that.