Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long, and focused upon choosing your words wisely. Okay so it was a bit more than that. It was about taking a beat to get in touch with your reactions, and using that moment to recognize if you are having an emotional reaction. To recognize if there isn’t a better way to respond than by jumping to your first reaction and raising your voice or following blindly in a raise of your emotions.
Too often when we are confronted with conflict or with something that puts our back up for one reason or another, we react without thinking. The meditation today was focused on finding a better path by using the mindfulness learned in the practice of meditating and finding a more calm and collected response.
Today’s draw is the Devil card, which is traditionally interpreted as a representation of temptations, obsessions, and addictions. It often refers to themes that have to do with self-imposed restrictions or self-imposed situations where one’s vices become a problem. It can also occasionally refer to that inner “shadow self” that contains the parts of ourselves and traits that we prefer not to accept or bring out into the light.
[Traditional Symbology Side Note: In the lovers card in the traditional RWS tarot, these same figures stand before two trees. The female figure stands before the Tree of Knowledge. The male figure stands before the Tree of Life. Here in the devil card (both in this deck and also in the traditional RWS) you see the representation of these trees reflected by what sprouts from the tails of these figures.]
I added the side note above, because what stands out to me the strongest today in the imagery of this card is the tails of the two chained fuzzies below the white tiger devil. In this imagery, both tails have “born fruit” that feels like the fruit of that is their vice… their obsession. Their addiction that keeps them chained. In the case of the figure on the left, it is about the pleasure of abundance and “forbidden fruit”. In the figure on the right, it is about the spark of one’s passions and drive. In both cases, although what has put them in their current predicament is different, the results are the same.
The second thing that stands out to me is that in both cases, their eyes are closed…. but the tiger’s eyes are open and feel as if they have a depth of understanding to them. This, interestingly enough, speaks to me of a blend of empathy and strength.
The message here is to make sure you are aware of those things that make you tick, and those things that have the potential to become more than that and enslave you. I have a tendency toward addiction, and the message for me is one of self awareness. Being self aware allows me to enjoy the things I love without taking it too far. And, allows me to know when it is getting to a point where “taking it to far” has stopped being a possibility and has become a reality.
DECK USED: MARUCO ANIMAL TAROT
#TarotForGrowthMay Challenge Prompt
Question: What does my inner child want me to know at this time?
Reading Summary: This new opportunity to do things differently that’s currently before me (Page of Coins) needs to be considered with a good deal of introspection and thought (Eight of Swords) as well as careful planning. At the center of that planning and the working through of how to proceed? Make sure you are factoring in the need for continued self care (Empress).
Take Away: The reorganization that has happened as a result of the pandemic has created an opportunity for me to rearrange not just how I work, but how I see things and where my focuses should lie. The cards here are an encouragement to make sure that I don’t forget about the dedication I’ve put into self care during this time, and carry it forward into the future by careful and well thought out planning.
DECK USED: MYSTICAL MANGA TAROT
#DiscordTarotholicsMay2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #2
What does Miss Luna want from me that I am not providing enough of?
Reading Summary: More good stuff (first two cards). Less change and instability (Moth Rx). Note the flow of colors in the background which connects the first two cards, indicating that she connects the joy of my attentions (Hummingbird) with the joy of passionate action (Tiger). This connection is reinforced by the similar color palates and abundance of light in the first two cards, which speaks of joy and happiness. Whereas the absence of light in the last card speaks of displeasure.
Take Away: The cards here are saying that Miss Luna wants more play time with me. She wants to have fun and finds that fun and action a sort of positive reinforcement.
What she wants less of from me is instability and change. There’s not a lot that I can do about that as I can only provide so much stability considering my unstable schedule. I do work hard to give her a bit of predictability within her days tho.
DECK USED: ANIMAL WISDOM TAROT
#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: When do I take on the mood of someone else?
Reading Summary: When I recognize that in the great scheme of things, there is no difference between others and myself (Death Rx), which allows me to connect with them through empathy (Three of Swords) and commiseration (Three of Disks).
Take Away: Although I am not an empath, I am very much able to feel empathy under the right circumstances. Those circumstances essentially require me to relate to and commiserate in some way with the other person. I am then able to “take on” their mood and emotions. This is not so much the sharing of emotions that an empath would experience, but more of a reflection of those emotions like a mirror.
Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and focused upon dealing with difficult people with patience and kindness. The meditation started out with a full body scan and slow breathing exercise, before there was a length of quiet in the center to sink into one’s mindfulness and relaxation.
Twisting the Leaf 