tarot as a motivational tool

Taking a Pause

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Today’s meditation was skipped yet again.  I overslept then the day went all awry and… it just didn’t happen.

Playful Heart Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Five of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of misfortune, domestic or financial troubles, scarcity, and ill health.

Today’s card really speaks to me intuitively through the imagery.  It says that sometimes life is filled with absurdly frustrating and challenging moments, and that all you feel like doing those moments is breaking down on the side of the road and say fuck it.

I get this.  It happens.  Hell, it happens to me.  I have fallen apart in oncology appointments, had my soul screaming so loud that the only peace I could find is curled in the bottom of a running shower, and bawled my eyes out in physiotherapy sessions. Sometimes… falling apart feels like the only thing left.

The addition of the affirmation card for today is a reminder that when you’re feeling those moments come to their peak?  It’s time to pause. Take a big, deep breath and instead of screaming? Let it out slow then take another.

DECK USED:  PLAYFUL HEART TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How are my goals progressing?

Backyard Blessings Cards and Playful Heart TarotThe Wheel of Fortune indicates that my progress comes and goes. Although not steady, it’s still moving forward.

The advice provided here indicates that, I need to make sure that I focus on optimism and abundance at this time.  I’m getting somewhere, even when things are slow.

But, I’ll get there quicker and healthier if I’m invested in joyful experiences along the way, feeling grateful for what I have, and making sure that I’m continuing to work on counteracting my pessimistic nature with more optimism. Especially during the times when things feel like they are lagging,

DECK USED:  PLAYFUL HEART TAROT AND BACKYARD BLESSINGS CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Self-Care for the New Moon…

Playful Heart TarotReading Summary: Go get that healthy alone time (The Hermit) in nature’s embrace (The Empress), before you lose the chance to do it (The Wheel).

Take Away: I’ve been a bit lax about getting myself out in the woods this last couple of months. Ever since the stalker letter showed up, actually.

I need to move past my resistance and actually do it though. I can feel I’m not getting what I need, and that it is not just dragging me down at this rate, but actually hurting me.

It’s possible (and, in fact, would make perfect sense) that my resistance here is seated not just in my concerns over the whole stalker issue and the fear involved in that, but also is tickling at my self-destruction tendencies.    In either case, whether it’s fear or the dark seduction of self-destruction, it’s something I need to break free of and not allow it to take root and continue to grow.

DECK USED:  PLAYFUL HEART TAROT

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: How can I move more into my heart space?

Secrets of the Mystic Grove OracleReading Summary: Being successful alone is well and good. But,when you work together with others your accomplishments are more significant, and you get more done. In looking ahead to the future, make sure that you are including others more in your endeavors and accomplishments.

Take Away: The cards here are indicating that if I want to move more into my heart space I need to invite those around me in closer and allow them more room in my life, including in allowing them to be more deeply involved in my endeavors and help me on my path to success and accomplishment.

DECK USED:  SECRETS OF THE MYSTIC GROVE ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I splurged on going to a seafood restaurant today and had calamari, deep fried brussels sprouts, four pieces of halibut fish and chips.

Morning Bonus Read – Caring For Your Garden

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Caring for Your Garden Reading - Aquarius Lenormand

Crown: Where can I activate my power at this time?

Fish – Sometimes it’s not about resistance.  Sometimes our greatest strength is in going with the flow and letting things move at their own pace.  Success doesn’t always have to be a fight. Reach in deep and seek the strength to let yourself move with the currents and adjust to each shift and flow of change.

Arbor: What protects me but also frames and limits my perspective?

Tower – The things that have happened in your life have made you extra diligent and watchful, extremely cautious about the security of your home and your surroundings. This behavior doesn’t just protect, but it also causes limitations that can sometimes make you feel trapped.  It doesn’t mean they’re not important, only that you need to be aware of the influence that these things have on how you see the world and those around you.

Landscape: What is the background energy in which I’ve been situated?

Star – Hope as you move forward, seeking the light.  You know that the opportunity for growth and better things is there. You may not have found the right road to reach that horizon yet, but you know it’s there and you’re inspired to reach for it.

Rabbit: What is the most fertile ground for advancing my position?

Letter – This is a reminder to get my property tax paperwork taken care of.  It’s been sitting on my desk for the past four days and I keep glancing at it but not getting it done.  There’s a deadline, so… yeah.  I need to get that done.

Glowing Gold: What is the potential of this investment of energy?

Mountain – There’s a lot to get through and a lot yet to overcome.  Like all journeys and the hurdles involved, you don’t get anywhere if you don’t keep taking one step forward at a time.  Take on those challenges one at a time, and soon enough you’ll find yourself at the peak and ready to hoof it down the other side. Then, of course, there will be yet another mountain to follow.

DECK USED:  AQUARIUS LENORMAND

What I Want, When I Want It

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Today’s meditation was skipped as it’s an orders day.

Fortune Queens: A Drag Race Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is The Lovers card, which is traditionally a representation of relationships and sometimes marriage, as well as making healthy choices, weighing one’s values when making a decision, and themes to do with love and harmony.

When combined with the affirmation card pulled for today, what I see is a reminder that sometimes making choices… is hard.  Sometimes it’s a tug of war between what we want and what needs to be done, or a debate between what is best for others or best for ourselves.

At these times, having choices doesn’t feel like a boon, even though it absolutely is, and it’s important to take a step back and just breathe.  Let things settle, weigh your values and your needs against what might be your actual desire.   Stay calm and the right answer will come.

Sometimes?  That means we can’t always have what we want when we want it.  For example, in today is an orders day. This means that the mass majority of my waking hours has to be focused on work and getting orders ready to ship, which means limited contact with Gideon. It sucks, but it’s temporary. And so I tell myself to breathe through it and keep moving.

DECK USED:  FORTUNE QUEENS: A DRAG RACE TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Question: What spiritual gift do I possess?

Oracle of the Strange ForestFirefly – My ability to be genuine with both myself and the world around me. I’ve met people that find this quality extremely annoying, and others that find it refreshing.  Some understand, and others can’t grasp it.  But I really have no one else I’d rather be, and no one else I could bother pretending to be.

I don’t have the heart, the motivation, or the memory to hide myself from those around me, and I figure if I instead simply allow my true sell to shine, people are far more aware if I’m someone they’d want to get to know, or someone they’d rather pass on.

Groundhog and Hawk – Balancing optimism with control. Allowing others room to grow in their own way and their own direction while providing guidance.  This balancing act between providing inspiration and direction, and allowing others to grow at their own pace and in their own unique ways is something that I find extremely important.  It’s a gift that allows me to guide (and occasionally also teach) others without imposing my own path upon theirs.  Instead I encourage their own growth on their own path, and provide experiences and information to help them find their way.

DECK USED:  ORACLE OF THE STRANGE FOREST

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About love…
Question: How can I better discern acts of love from those spurred by other motivations?

Fortune Queens: A Drag Race TarotReading Summary: You need to work on having more faith in those around you (The Star atop Three of Cups). Everyone picks (Seven of Cups) a bad apple now and then and has to take time to recover from the betrayal (Wheel of Fortune atop Four of Swords).

Take Away: The answer here in these cards is that there is no better way to discern acts of love from those spurred by other motivations than the methods I am already using.  You can’t know everything, and life can turn on a dime and bite you in the ass.  

Have a little faith, and try not to go too overboard on the paranoia.

DECK USED:  FORTUNE QUEENS: A DRAG RACE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I’m going to bed at a decent hour tonight.

Self Gratitude Is Important

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Today’s meditation was skipped.  I was just too damned tired.

Spiritsong Tarot and Flower Fortune CardsToday’s draw is the Four of Shells (Cups), which is traditionally a representation of meditative contemplation, taking a pause in which you turn away from external help and look inward, soul-searching, meditation, and at times, apathy and discontent with what is being offered.

I find that the Flower Fortunes card for the day matches this theme in the way that we often forget to pause and appreciate ourselves in the day to day of our lives.

We see the good in others, we evaluate the world around us in the day to day much lie the watchful crane stands still among reeds and evaluates its environment.   But when do we take time to actually look at ourselves and truly appreciate ourselves?  Not all that often.  Instead we look with a critical eye, an apathetic eye, or the eye of someone seeking out their favorite whipping boy.

The message in today’s cards is to take a step back and look at yourself with kindness.  Look at yourself with appreciation.  Take time to be grateful for yourself.  For who you are and what you can do, for the decisions you’ve made and how far you’ve come.

DECK USED:  SPIRITSONG TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #1

Prairie Majesty Oracle How is the rise of summer energies manifesting in my life?

Dragonfly – You’re being given the opportunity to pivot direction into something stronger and happier.  Welcome the change and lean into the turn.  What you’re seeking is around that corner,  you just need to let go and enjoy the ride.

How can I Harness these summer energies for my purpose?

Earthworm – In order to let this change happen you’re going to need to let go. Take a breath, and let the chips fall as they may instead of fighting against it because you’re afraid or uncomfortable. The struggle isn’t needed and is rooted in judgements concerning the discomfort that comes with change.

Where would I be best served in directing these energies throughout the summer months?

Cottonwood – You need to direct this energy into a sense of curiosity and enthusiasm. Don’t let the dread of change and discomfort take away this opportunity. Stretch your self tall, explore… look at it as an adventure.  Something fun and interesting instead of something to fear.

DECK USED:  PRAIRIE MAJESTY ORACLE

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I improve upon how I spend my time?

Spiritsong TarotReading Summary: More focus on what I’m doing, less distraction (Ace of Acorns). Increase your gratitude practices, for they help you feel more fulfilled as a whole (Nine of Shells). Seek out time with Gideon which allows for both emotional growth as well as a sense of emotional security (King of Shells).

Take Away:  Everything looks back to the Ace of Acorns, meaning that whatever I’m doing, no matter what it is, I need to make sure that I am leaning into focusing on that thing instead of allowing multiple different things to tap in and distract me, splintering my focus.

This is something that has been happening quite a lot lately, and only I can make the changes and choices that will allow me to get past this splintering of focus and back to somewhere more solid and productive.

DECK USED:  SPIRIT SONG TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I allowed myself not to give a fuck about my mother being pissed off that I fell asleep on her when she was on the phone.

Embracing Change

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IMG_2140Today’s meditation was just under fourteen minutes long, and was one of the guided meditations in the Calm app which I combined with an interval timer for my piriformis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was an activity that worked on disassociating with the thoughts that go on in the mind during meditation. We looked at both verbal thoughts that run through your mind, as well as visualization thoughts that run through your mind, and how to stay distant from them by labeling them (ie: talk, image, quiet) instead of sinking into them or letting them carry you away.

David's Tarot and Flower Fortune CardsToday’s draw is The Tower card, which is traditionally a representation of sudden and chaotic change, tearing down the old to make way for new, and destruction.

These kind of changes are often terrifying or painful.  They come out of the blue and are destructive, tearing down well known structures and comfortable norms.   Not only is this part of things scary, but sometimes the concept of rebuilding from the ashes can be just as frightening.

The reminder in the Flower Fortune cards for today is an apt one when paired with The Tower, as it reminds us to “welcome the change coming into your life”.

When change comes, especially when it comes on suddenly, it’s difficult not to flinch in response and shy away from it.  It’s hard not to fight against it.   The thing is?  The change is going to happen whether we want it to or not.  If we fight it?  It just drags things out and makes it last that much longer.  Better to embrace it when it comes, ride it out, and in the end you are better prepared to move on and rebuild things just how you want them.

DECK USED:  DAVID’S TAROT AND FLOWER FORTUNE CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Questions for June 4 thru 6th

Luna Sol Tarot 2nd EditionWhen am I intuitively insecure?
Page of Disks Rx and The Hermit

When life goes stagnant, and I’m left to stew in my own shit, I end up struggling with self confidence. My intuition also has a way of going quiet when I try too hard to take everything on all alone.

How am I using my intuition in my life right now?
Ten of Swords Rx and The Sun atop The Empress Rx

I am using my intuition to avoid the painful endings that I feel that I’m not ready for.  Instead I’m seeking joy, even if it’s unhealthy for me, when what I really need to do is deal with those unpleasant endings.

How am I blocking my intuition?
Seven of Wands

There’s too much fight going on against the changes that needs to take place. Too much looking at that change as an opponent to fight against instead of something healthy that needs to take place. This resistance is creating a block.

How can I resolve this conflict and free my intuition from its bonds?
Seven of Wands and Two of Cups

Stop being so stubborn and allow others that have your best interest at heart to join in your journey and help you.  Stop struggling and fighting so damned hard.

DECK USED:  LUNA SOL TAROT 2ND EDITION

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About loneliness…
Question: What fears do I have surrounding the theme of loneliness? How can alleviate these fears?

David's TarotFears: That people will see something in me, that causes them to reject me. Even though I present myself honestly and openly to everyone, for some reason this fear remains. Even while not hiding anything, that fear is always there. That they’ll see some ugly truth in me that will turn them away.

This is the fear that took root during the “pissant” event, and like a pervasive weed, I’ve been unable to dig it out since then.

Alleviation: To alleviate these fears, I need to accept that I’m not for everyone… Just as not everyone is for me. Trying to please everyone is a nightmare, and an anxiety trap that I don’t want to fall into.

DECK USED:  DAVID’S TAROT

TheSphinxRevolution’sGothic Seance Divination Prompt
Today’s Muse: Emily Bronte
(Note: I’m using the writers in this challenge as a muse instead of as a mediumship/seance practice. So the questions are about me instead of about them.)

Inner Compass Kids CardsWhat kind of figure or personality you will never idolize? Why?

Mirror atop Funny Pants – The class clown. I just don’t have the ability to see myself in that way. I have a sense of humor, but I find myself far too serious for such behavior. Sometimes when I see other people act that way it seems so natural, cool, and easy… but when I look in the mirror at myself and try to imagine behaving that way?  It just looks childish and idiotic.

How does the theme of “abuse” play in your life?

Hero atop Leader – Abuse comes from authority, and only I can save myself from it. It is my issues with authority due to the abuses of my past that have caused me to become so diligent in my adulthood in not just being fair… but being independent.  I have gone to great lengths to create that independence, and demand it being respected by those I work for as well as others in my life.

What aspects of shadow work you need mastery on?

Home – I need to work on mastering allowing myself more freedom in the places that I feel safe. Relaxing and fully letting down my guard isn’t easy when there’s other people around, even though those around such as my sister and Z should allow me to feel completely safe.  It’s just… not the same as full on alone time.  This is something I need to work on.

What guidance Emily Brontë would give you on your spiritual journey.

Unlucky Duck – It’s okay to fuck up once in a while, and you don’t have to be hard on yourself about it when it happens. Learn from the experience and move on to the next.

DECK USED:  INNER COMPASS KIDS CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

I had a full evening of Gideon focused time and attention.

Morning Bonus Read – Connect With Your Spirit Guide(s)

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Teddy Bear Transformation Playing Cards - Spirit Guides Cartomancy Reading

Your deepest held belief about working with spirit guides.

Six of Spaces and Ace of Diamonds – That it’s something new you need to be dedicated to in order to learn. That it takes time and effort, and there’s a journey involved to improvement and building of skill.

How ready you are to start connecting with a spirit guide.

Six of Clubs – You’ve been doing it already for some time now. Not just doing it, but doing it well. This isn’t something you need to develop, but something you already have and are well and truly already connected to.

The spirit guide that’s most keen to work with you right now.

Three of Clubs – This spirit guide is all about helping you to move into your chosen direction.  You know where you want to go and what you want to do, and they’re the one that wants to help in getting me on that path and keeping me on task.

Have you worked together before?

Nine of Spades – Yes. During times of intense worry where breaking free of stagnation was needed, they have been there to help you in moving past these hurdles and momentary setbacks.

What is their main aim for working together?

Four of Hearts – To help you find your emotional center.  A big part of your journey of emotional growth and understanding is finding your balance in the constantly shifting sea of emotions that you’re allowing yourself to feel these days. Their main aim in working with you at this time is to help you learn to find your “sea legs” so that you can explore your emotions without feeling unsteady or losing your balance.

What are they trying to warn you about?

Seven of Hearts – They are trying to warn you that there are too many conflicting views caused by emotional imbalance. This can cause disrupted emotional harmony, which if allowed to go on for too long, could cause a more serious emotional response (such as depression and/or anxiety).

What are they trying to help you succeed with?

Nine of Hearts – Finding true happiness and satisfaction. For these things to be accomplished, it means opening up and allowing emotions to have a place in your life.

What action they want you to take to be successful?

Ace of Hearts – It’s important to remember that you’re at the beginning of your emotional journey and growth. They want you to make sure that you keep looking at things with fresh eyes.  Sometimes it can be difficult to not fall back on old habits, but it’s only through keeping open to the new experiences being offered that you can move forward.  There is no looking back.

Something you can do to strengthen the connection with your guide.

Jack of Hearts – Stay open to learning and exploring. Don’t lose your enthusiasm for discovering more and expanding your horizons in the area of your emotional growth.

DECK USED:  TEDDY BEAR TRANSFORMATION PLAYING CARDS