tarot for self care

Year Ahead Spread 2021 – April thru June

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This spread is a predictive spread that is very commonly used as a bit of a preview of the year ahead. The question asked for each of these positions is…
Tarot Card: The theme of the month in question,
Oracle Card: What to focus on for the month in question, and
Affirmation Card: A ray of hope to hold onto for the month in question.

Year Ahead Spread for Divination

This reading is simply a brief exploration of the current trajectory of my path and energy for the year ahead. Like all predictive readings, nothing here is written in stone, it’s more of a look ahead just to have an idea of what to anticipate and what to work at avoiding.

As an experiment, I have decided to do my year ahead reading a little differently this year. In January I pulled cards for the first six months of the year and interpreted the cards for January thru March. I am then interpreting the second three months today.  I will then revisit the spread at the end of June to do the following six months. I feel that this might help in ensuring a more accurate reading for the second half of the year.

Six Month Ahead Spread for Divination - Part 1 - January through June

2021’s Theme – Justice – This card is calculated through mathematics, and is not drawn randomly.  My card for 2021 is the Justice card, with the theme of having to acknowledge that what you put out into the world and what you do in your life reflects back to you in turn.  Good begets good, bad begets bad.  Following that inner moral compass will be especially important this year and possible a bit of a challenge.

Six Month Ahead Spread - Brady Tarot, Tree Whisper Oracle, Magickal Herb Oracle

April’s Theme – Strength – Like spring slowly builds into summer, as you head through April your own strengths will slowly continue to build.

April’s Focus / Advice – Healing –  During this time, make sure that you are focusing on the last vestiges of your recovery. Allow your strength to build instead of trying to tap into it and utilize it before it’s leveled off.

April’s Ray of Hope – Bilberry (Clarity) – The more and more you approach full recovery, the brighter your thoughts will be and the clearer your mind will become. The fog lifts a little at a time, and each day you can see a little clearer than the day before.

May’s Theme – Father of Horns (Cups) – Finding your footing is the theme of this month.  After the slippery slide down into the pit of depression and the long, slow climb back out, you’re finally at a place where you will feel as if you’ve found your footing emotionally and are on solid ground.

May’s Focus / Advice – Beyond – Now is a good time to look forward and start putting plans into action to build what you want to come into fruition in the future. You’ve held off long enough to allow yourself time to recover, and with solid ground once more under your feet, you are able to now begin striding forward in these matters.  Step out of the planning stages.

May’s Ray of Hope – Echinacea (Protection) – You are looked after and protected. Put a little more trust into the universe and your guides.  Allow Gideon to worry over you and your loved ones to take care of you in their own unique and preferred ways.  This blessing is here to lift you up, keep you protected, and give you the help you need to keep you safe as you begin to move forward into new frontiers this month.

June’s Theme – The Sun – With summer upon us it will be time to have a little fun this month. Don’t hibernate or hide indoors.  The temperatures are comfortable enough to enjoy some time outside, so take advantage of that to its fullest.

June’s Focus / Advice – Innocence – The seeds begun in May will have the chance to grow and flourish, and without putting in so much work that you have to feel “put upon” or “stuck” in the process. Don’t make this growth a chore.  Instead, have some fun and let more serious matters and endeavors develop at their own pace.

June’s Ray of Hope – Yerba mate (Activation) – You set the ball rolling on the projects and goals you wanted to get started.  Let the ball roll.  It’s going to carry itself for the most part this month.  You don’t have to babysit it every step and millimeter of the way.

DECKS USED:  THE BRADY TAROT 2ND EDITION, TREE WHISPER ORACLE, MAGICKAL HERB ORACLE

Morning Bonus Read – Spiral Journey

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Spiral Journey Tarot Spread - Tanis Lenormand

Essence – Anchor – Stable, persistent, and faithful to those around you and your goals. Not one to flit from place to place or person to person, you approach the world around you with two feet steady on the ground and rooted for good measure. Feeling uprooted or unstable is extremely uncomfortable for you and you struggle under these circumstances until you can find security and stability once again.

Past – Coffin – A lot of negative experiences litter your past that need to be left behind and discarded. You’ve come so far since then and transformed from that place into a much better one. Make sure you are not allowing these experiences from the past to haunt you, and stay vigilant to ensure their influences foster change and not stagnation.

Present – Garden – You’re very social in your present and are thriving in that environment.  The interactions you’re having are primarily positive and helping you in your growth as well as allowing you to find some enjoyment in others, something you haven’t had a lot of experience with in the past. 

Future – Key – Your future is filled with a vast array of opportunities, as long as you are willing to keep your eyes open and watch for them.  These opportunities aren’t the kind that just fall into your lap, but rather the type that you need to involve yourself in and expend a bit of energy in order to bring into fruition.

Possibility – Letter – Leading into possibilities and opportunities in the future… make sure you are not being careless with your emails and snail mail.  You may just accidentally delete or toss out something important! Check your packages carefully for added bits in the bottom, make sure the junk mail folder doesn’t hold anything important before you empty it, and just be overall vigilant in this area.

Blessing – Fox – You’re clever. You’re smart.  You’re able to spot a lie a mile away and sense when people are not being upfront or have sketchy motives.  Listen to your intuition and make sure you’re not reasoning yourself out of what your instincts and intuition have to say.  Don’t close yourself off from hearing that inner voice and don’t doubt what it tells you about those around you.

Synthesis – Bouquet – Now is a blessed time in your life and it has the potential to become even better if you use your keen intuition and instinct to lead you forward, and stay vigilant in paying attention to what’s going on around you.  Don’t be careless or cavalier about things that you might feel are little things, that in truth could turn out to be lost opportunities if squandered or tossed aside.  Energies are on the rise… ride them and take advantage of the benefits they offer.

DECK USED: TANIS LENORMAND

Full Moon in Libra – March 2021

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Gummy Bear Tarot In a Tin

Yesterday was 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 about tipping the scales, and brought to you by Sharron Basanti of Seeds of Shakti.

1. What imbalances is the Full Libra Moon magnifying?

Eight of Swords – My fears are being amplified. I need to expect a bit more anxiety surrounding the next few days and remember that anxiety is not premonition… it’s simply anxiety.  Don’t allow it to compound upon itself by thinking it means anything.  Your intuition does not speak to you through anxiety and it’s not going to start doing so any time soon.

2. How can the scales be brought back to balance?

The World atop King of Swords – Ground yourself with a foundation of logic and knowledge. A lot of things are being done differently these days and it’s okay to feel anxious as long as you recognize it’s an irrational response and keep your eyes on making sure you stay up to date with the changes and transitions taking place.

3. What truths is the Libra Full Moon revealing that I need to acknowledge?

The Fool – Lighten up.  Make sure you’re making time for fun and play.  Not everything can be serious all the time and it’s important to allow yourself some carefree time where you release the weight of responsibilities and just allow the world around you to enthrall and delight you.  It doesn’t have to be long or intense, but this is something you need to make sure you’re including in your life in order to find a better life balance.

4. How can I create sacred space for harmony to thrive and flourish?

King of Cups – Allow yourself to be emotionally supported by others.  Allow an emotional connection within your spirituality to flourish.  Just because you don’t always know the names of the emotions you feel or how exactly to express them doesn’t mean they’re any less valid than if you did.  If you need help expressing these emotions, you know you can find it in Gideon, who is always there to help you sort it out.

5. Message from the Ancestors and Guides.

The Emperor atop Eight of Cups – Step up and claim a healthier path. You’re going to end up frustrated and stuck in another unhealthy pattern if you don’t seize control and direct things to go the way you want them to. Now is the time to seize that control and make sure things go in the direction you want them to rather than in the same old frustrating direction that they have always gone in in the past when at this point in your recovery from an MDE.

DECK USED: GUMMY BEAR TAROT IN A TIN

Stirring Up Energies

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IMG_0268Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and another of the short Calm app meditations combined with the interval timer for my piriformis stretching.  Thing is?  Although I benefit more from the eighteen minute meditations than I do the ten minute ones?  I have a hard time allotting myself that extra eight minutes.  I’m not sure why but I do.  So…. I’ll save those for when need that extra amount of meditation and go for the shorter ones for the day-to-day.

The focus of today’s meditation was about trying new things and not -avoiding- trying new things if the reason for avoiding them is just that it’s uncomfortable in some way.  All new things are uncomfortable.  All new things can cause worry or anxiety or discomfort.  That doesn’t mean new things are bad.

Denizens of Earth Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Nine of Earth (Pentacles) which is traditionally a representation of satisfaction with a job well done and the sense of security that comes from that. It’s often a solitary card, but one filled with gratitude and self-acknowledgement for one’s blessings and accomplishments.

The crocus is one of the first announcements of spring each year, emerging from cooler temps to greet the warmth of the season and it’s earthy themes of rebirth.  It is a sign that spring has arrived and all is well, and that the bounty of summer is coming.

What I see in this card is not so much about what you have, but rather the potential of what can be achieved.  The promise of opportunity ahead to fulfill your needs, succeed in those things that create stability and comfort in your life, and not just survive but thrive in the budding energy that spring has to offer us all.

When combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, the message here is that not only is the opportunity there for you to make these things happen, but so too is the capability within you to do it.  Sometimes we feel like we’re just not enough, and because of that feeling, we allow opportunities to pass us by that otherwise we would have jumped at.  Don’t allow this spring to be one of those times you let opportunities pass you by. Instead, choose those things that will help you thrive, and pursue them.  You have it within you to ride spring’s energy and direct it into a positive outcome.

DECK USED:  DENIZENS OF EARTH TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

LionHart’s Whispering Woods Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: What good have I achieved for myself this month?

Bumbleberry Hollows Tarot

 Reading Summary:  New beginnings and new ideas this month (Ace of Swords) have allowed me to turn past bad habits and tendencies (Six of Cups) into something healthier and more beneficial moving forward (Nine of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I’ve come to the realization this month that emerging from depression is a form of rebirth.  A way to change things I’ve done wrong in the past an do better in the future.  In the past, my focus coming out of a depression has always been about “getting back to normal”, but I’m starting to understand that this is not the only way to approach my recovery, and that emerging from depression’s darkness provides me a way to essentially “begin again” and create new habits and new ways of dealing with things.  That the depression wipes out the majority of old habits, creating a blank slate to rebuild upon… and in this opportunity resides the potential for building something better.

DECK USED:  BUMBLEBERRY HOLLOWS TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsMar2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #3

Denizens of Earth TarotWhat to leave behind along with the winter’s chill?

Father of Earth (Dragonfly) – It’s time to trade in more stagnant and staid energies for something with more vitality and alacrity. Being grounded is all well and good, but not to the point that you’re losing range of motion and opportunity through inaction.

What to take with me into the spring?

The Emperor – A sense of empowerment is necessary and you need to make sure you foster those feelings as you move into the spring.  Allow that sense of being “large and in charge” spur you into using your energy wisely to not just find your footing but run with those things that you want to build in your life and accomplish.

What needs exposed to the light and the world this spring?

The Lovers – You are doing the best you can to make the choices that are healthy for you and this is not something to hide away from the world, but rather something to celebrate.  When combined with the forward motion of the Emperor in the previous position, we see a message of leading by example.  Encouraging others to make healthy choices in their lives by showing them how it’s done within your own life.

What needs kept close for further contemplation and meditation?

Child of Fire (Red Fox) atop The Wheel – Inspired ideas that you want to explore need a bit more time to percolate in your head before you act on them. You have plenty to do without adding on more that will imbalance everything and “upset the apple cart”.  Keep them close and sort them out before acting, as you need this time to make sure these ideas become a success, rather than depending on luck to make them work and succeed.

DECK USED:  DENIZENS OF EARTH TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I bought CocoPuffs!  Okay so yes, I need to eat healthier and I get that but it’s COCOPUFFS!  I will just have to practice that whole moderation thing and make them last.

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday 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 is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

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

Tarot of Mystical Moments, Oracle of Mystical Moments, Crystal Ball Oracle, Witch's Familiars Rune Oracle

Earth – Six of Swords, Get More Information, Jera – As yesterday’s personal readings have indicated, I need to be looking forward with an attitude of adjustment and change.  Falling back into old, unhealthy habits is easy.  Keeping your eye on the prize of moving forward into something better and healthier?  That takes more diligence, more work… and patience as well.  You’re doing better today than yesterday, you’re doing better this week than the last, and you’re doing better this year than last year.  Make sure to do your due diligence when it comes to educating yourself on what you need to know, and keep moving forward one small step at a time.

Air – King of Pentacles, Unlikely, Laguz – Make sure that you do not become so rooted that it becomes impossible to go with the flow.  Knowing what you know and being confident in that knowledge is one thing, but becoming stubborn and stagnant and unwilling to adapt and continue to grow is another all together.  It can, at times, be a fine line between the two and although it is not in your nature to lean into stagnancy, that stillness of rooting deeply is tempting and appears peaceful.  It’s not… it’s unhealthy.  Make sure you keep moving.

Water – Queen of Pentacles, Choose a New Direction, Berkano – As with the earth position in this reading, here we again see an encouragement to tread a new path, break old habits, and step forward into a better and healthier way of doing things.  Share more, allow yourself to be receptive and soft.  You don’t need all those shields and walls.  They are a carry over from a long time ago when you did need them, and you need to stop maintaining them and let them crumble to ruin.

Fire – Seven of Wands, Yes, Thurisaz – Well, okay then.  Here we have the cards openly saying “Grow a set”.  I mean… essentially.  What we have here is an encouragement to fight for what has meaning for you by bringing forth your aggressive protective “masculine” energy and pushing it forward into what needs dealt with and protected.  Don’t back down, don’t stand and wait.  Be proactive and use that aggression to protect what’s important to you.

Waning – Listen – You may not have that much time to connect with nature this week. Keep in mind that this situation is temporary and you will be able to do so again soon enough.  For now, it’s time to focus on other things besides the commensalistic relationship you share with the earth and fern, moss and trees.

Waxing – Under My Umbrella – Don’t be shy about allowing others to help you and they will get something out of it as well. More often than you realize, such help is a type of exchange where both parties get something out of the experience even though neither may be fully aware of what the other gets from it.

Secondary Notes – There is a color correlation between the King of Pentacles in Air, the Queen of Pentacles in Water, the Listen card in the Waning position, and the island in the Six of Wands for the Earth position.  What I see here in this connection is an encouragement to use the grounded strength and solid certainty in the King and Qeen to support yourself through the transition to a healthier place.  Allow grounding to play a significant role in this, even if this week doesn’t allow for much time outside in nature.  Touch base with that grounding energy in other ways, and refer back to it when making decisions based on your health and home.

There is also a color coordination between the Seven of Wands in the Fire position, the Thurisaz rune card in the Fire position, the Under My Umbrella card in the Waxing position, and a small hint of it in the Laguz card for the Air position.  Someone will be in need of your help this week and you will need to step up with some aggressive “masculine” energy to get things done and keep them safe. Now will not be the time to “go with the flow”.

Take Away – This reading is a reinforcement that I need to see this climb back out of the depression as an opportunity to “reboot” how I deal with responsibility and balancing my self care with my other interests, responsibilities, and needs.  I need to remember that it’s okay to ask for help, and stay vigilant in watching out for old habits that might try to sneak back in.

I need to remember, as well, that being rooted always feels safe and secure, but too much is not a healthy thing. Adaptability is an important part of life.

The Fire portion of this reading combined with my second secondary notes are self explanatory.  This is a heads up to let me know to be prepared.  By being prepared I may be able to circumvent this issue all together, or at least ensure that I’m ready for it when it arises.

DECKS USED:  TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS, ORACLE OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS, CRYSTAL BALL ORACLE, AND WITCH’S FAMILIARS RUNE ORACLE

Lessons Lost

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Today’s meditation was skipped, although not intentionally.  I ended up falling asleep and having a nap instead, and when I got up it was a bit later than I’d like and I had to do my cards before I lost the sunlight.  Thus… no meditation.

Baby Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Wheel of Fortune, which is traditionally a representation of the ups and downs of life and how life can, at times, be unpredictable.  At times, there are those that read this card as being about good luck, or about bad luck.  In truth, it is about both and how one’s fortune is constantly changing.

What stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the fact that the baby on the far left looks scared.  The thing is?  Sometimes that’s just how things go.  Fear is a part of the human experience and it can teach us lessons,  just as mistakes and pain can.    It can also allow us to learn from other’s mistakes, so when it’s our turn to learn that lesson the other person learned?  We have a step up to doing things better than the person before us did.

When combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, the lesson here is that even in our mistakes, there’s a lesson to be learned.  Even in our fear and pain, there’s something to be gained.  But we have to look for it.  Sometimes these lessons go by unlearned because we are too stubborn or too wrapped up in the misery to look for the lesson.  It’s important to look for the lesson.  That is… the lesson that makes us better than we were before the experience came along. The lesson that makes us better at something, and/or a better person.  If all you take away is the negative aspects of the experience, then the experience was wasted and the lesson the universe intended you to learn is lost.

DECK USED:  BABY TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: How can I more easily depend on others to help me?

Tarot Art Nouveau

Reading Summary:  Start your journey over (The World) from the beginning (doubled Aces) with a fresh and open heart (Ace of Cups) and new perspective on your passions (Ace of Wands).

Take Away:  In the process of surfacing from the MDE, I am given the opportunity to “begin again” with a new perspective.  Like a snake shedding its skin, as I come out of that dark pit of depression, what was before is being left behind and I am able to start over in how I deal with my responsibilities and how I handle myself concerning stress and pressure.  The cards here represent that new beginning, and remind me that if I want to allow people to help me more in my life and responsibilities (which I do), I need to reassess my feelings concerning this and adjust my passions and drive to include them from the beginning.

DECK USED:  TAROT ART NOUVEAU

#DiscordTarotolicsMar2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self-care for this full moon?

Baby TarotReading Summary:  Restructuring (The Tower) how I expend my energy.  There is a need to instill more care and nurturing into how I do things (Queen of Pentacles), which will take a bit of learning… which will be slow going but worth it (Page of Pentacles).

Take Away: As my other reading for today already mentioned, I’m at a place where I have the opportunity to do things differently.  A place in my recovery from my depression where I can “begin again” and do things better this time around. I’ve been working for a long time at finding a better way to treat myself and nurture myself, to care for myself while I carry on the responsibilities that lie on my shoulders.

I need to make sure, during this full moon, that I tip my energies towards that restructuring of how I do things, and lean into those efforts to approach things in a better and healthier way.

DECK USED:  BABY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I didn’t get angry at myself for taking a nap today.  I also managed to resist buying a few decks that I’ve been tempted by but have decided to wait on until later.  Perhaps late in the fall when orders for the jewelry business pick up.  I don’t think there will be any worry about losing out on getting them between now and then in this case, and if I still want them by then, I’ll have the extra money to splurge.