tarot and psychology

It’s Going to Be Okay

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was twelve minutes long, and focused on the fact that sometimes meditation isn’t peaceful.   That is to say that sometimes, there is so much going on in our minds that it isn’t possible to sink into stillness.   It also discussed how this is okay.

This is a struggle that everyone deals with, but meditation isn’t about that silent calm.  It’s about seeking mindfulness.   If that means you don’t reach calm, but you are mindful in those moments of the present and what is going on with you.   Then you are still meditating.

I think that’s an important message.  A lot of people try meditation and feel that they are failing at it.  But the truth is, if you are trying?  You are succeeding.   It’s not about success, it’s about the journey.

Today’s draw is a double without a jumper, and may I just say…. I’m so happy to be home and able to use the Stolen Child tarot one last time for this purpose before the month shifts to October.  I really love this deck.

Ok… on to today’s draw.   The draw for today is the Nine of Zephyrs (Swords) and the King of Oak (Pentacles).

The Nine of Zephyrs is an “oh shit” card, and you can see this in the belly-to-the-ground pose of the hare in the card’s imagery.   There is a whole lot of uncertainty there, and a sense of a “the sky is falling” mentality.   In the traditional meaning for this card (the Nine of Swords) it is much the same.  It is a card of overwhelm and anxiety, depression and turmoil in the area of the mind, logic, intellect, and instinct.

The King of Oak’s energy speaks to me of self-possession and abundance.  The young king is surrounded by plentiful gifts, and the closing of his eyes in this card does not appear like ignorance so much as like a communion and gratitude.   Like with the previous card, my perceptions of this card’s artwork echo the traditional meaning of the card, which is a representation of a projective alpha energy in the area of resources, finances, manifestation, and the physical world.  This includes themes that involves wealth, abundance, and stability in the areas of business and finance.

Today’s cards are addressing my cyclical “catastrophe” type thinking concerning my business.  This time of year is very stressful for me, for although the dry period that comes each year has come to an end, the pick-up back to the norm takes a little time.

Sometimes it DOES feel like the sky is falling during this time before the holiday rush starts, and I worry that all the preparation will be for naught.   The King of Oak is there to tell me that I just need to center myself and keep preparing.  He speaks of the fact that I know full well what this cycle I’m in with my business is, and where it will go, and that I will become flush again soon enough as the recovery period flushes out into an abundance of business for the six weeks or so that are my yearly holiday rush.

Deck Used: Stolen Child Tarot

 

Self Care Saturday… On a Sunday

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

As I’ve mentioned before, these 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 are not meant as a predictive reading.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Earth – King of Cups – Take some time to project for myself some compassion and forgiveness, especially concerning any limitations that might arise in the week ahead.

Air – The Devil – Am drowning myself with the weight of all the “stuff”. Take a step back and evaluate mental clutter. Search for any obsessions that are not serving me and let them go.

Water – Queen of Pentacles – Going to need some alone time and to take some time to lose myself in fantasy and flights of fancy in order to nurture my emotional side.

Fire – Page of Rods – This week is a time for exploration and discovery. Try something new instead of the same old thing.

Waning – The need to carry my home with me is going to ease. This is not surprising, and is in direct relation to going home tomorrow.

Waxing – A new journey and crossing from the known into the unknown. This card feels like it is connected to the Fire cards in this spread.

Moral of the Story – New adventures ahead, but from home rather than abroad. Keep an eye out for what may be adding unnecessary stress or “weight”. Be sure to make some space and time for myself to breathe.

Deck Used: Morgan Greer Tarot

Creating Small Spaces

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes and ten seconds long, and focused on how we perceive time, and enjoying our time more.

The guided meditation discussed how it is the times in our life when we forget about time entirely that are our unforgettable moments, and how we need to seek out more of these moments to incorporate into our lives.

It was very early when I did my meditation this morning, and I did a repeat of it later in the day just before my nap. In both cases I found it to be a really nice, peaceful process today, even when E (the eight year old girl I told you about) decided to join me for the second one.

Today’s draw is the Hermit card, which is the ninth card in the Major Arcana, and deals with overall themes rather than specific aspects of the human experience.

The Hermit card is a representation of taking time to oneself and self reflection. For me, it is in many ways a self-care card, as the kind of “stepping away” and into self that this card represents is almost always a time of restorative healing for me.

This card was very apt for today, and I’ve already ran into a few situations where it’s advice has come in useful. These included staying quiet and restful in the car this morning on the way to the festival, taking E aside at the festival when she had a mini-emotion-explosion, stepping out to go for a walk in the rain when we made it back to the house, and taking a nap because 5am came god-fucking-awful early this morning.

In each of these instances there was a bit of healing involved, mostly for myself but in one instance also for E, who would have gotten in serious trouble if she’d been allowed to go full-on nuclear meltdown as they seemed to be egging her toward with everyone’s insistence on ignoring what was happening.

None of these retreats were particularly long or large, but each was a bite-sized piece of time and healing that has helped preserve a bit of balance.

Deck Used: Morgan Greer Tarot

Stability

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes and ten seconds long, and focused on self-soothing. That is to say, finding methods to self-soothe that work for you personally during times of stress and discomfort.

It covered a number of methods in mindfulness and meditation including breathing exercises, counting exercises, visualization, etc.

These are all methods that I’ve tried before, and most of them work for me on some level as long as I’m not overly worked up and toppling into the area of a snickers attack.

Today’s draw is the fourth card of the Major Arcana, the Emperor, which like all of the Major Arcana cards deals with “the big picture” rather than any one aspect of the human experience.

The Emperor card is a representation of authoritative energy, control, and structure. Its appearance today is a reiteration of what you have been saying over the past few days while I ride out the disorientation of my family’s new behavior.

That is to say, keep myself seated in a place of stability and strength. Enjoy the reprieve, but don’t allow it lull me into a place of vulnerability.

Perspectives

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes and ten seconds long, and focused on staying present and mindful in the moment as a way of developing better concentration and focus not jus in those moments but in life as a whole. Hi

Today’s draw is the twelfth card in the Major Arcana, which is the Hanged Man. This card, like all Major Arcana cards, is a “big picture” card rather than dealing with only one aspect of the human experience. The Hanged Man is my favorite card in the tarot, snd is a representation of taking s step back in order to gain a new perspective.

Today’s card is another push within the currently running theme concerning new perspectives where my family is concerned. I don’t see this as I would a stalker card, where I’m just not getting the message. Instead, the repeat themes using different cards feels more like reminders and encouragement.

I am doing my best to keep an open mind where they are concerned and not allow their past behaviors to influence my perceptions or expectations. This doesn’t mean I am leaving myself wide open to be hurt or abused, only that I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Turning Over a New Leaf?

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes and twenty seconds long, and focused on the tone of our inner talk with ourselves.

The meditation specifically focused on questions that we ask ourselves, and whether these questions are fostering curiosity and exploration… or if they are self-defeating.

I think this is a good examination of our self talk, but I think it is limiting to consider only the questions we ask ourselves, instead of the inner discussions we have with ourselves as a whole.

The meditation was relaxing, and I even got a little bit of peace and quiet to do it by myself without somebody wandering into the room.

Today’s draw is the lovers card of the major arcana, which is a representation of choices, harmony, love and relationships, and the alignment of values between two or more parties.

The Lovers card is an encouragement to make the choice to give my family here a chance. Something has changed. There are still the occasional snide comment or ugly remark, but the lions share of the venom is missing compared to past experiences visiting this side of the family. Also missing are the sneaky, vindictive passive-aggressive tricks that used to be so common.

Whatever it is that made this change, I’m set a little off kilter by it and keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.

Today’s card is asking me to consider that maybe there isn’t another shoe. Maybe these changes are genuine and sincere.

This doesn’t mean I need to make up my mind right at this moment… but it is something to take into account and consider.