🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Differing Perspectives

Prompt: “Pull the Queen of Wands card from your deck(s). Compare the imagery between the card provided below and the card(s) from your own deck(s). How would you read them differently and why?“

Queen of Wands - Tarot of Mystical MomentsMystical Moments Tarot – She stands tall and holds steady a beacon for others to follow. The moths are drawn to that glowing beacon, inspired by her presence and her holding the sunflower aloft.

This card speaks of those that inspire us, and how that inspiration can draw is in like moths to a flame. It asks us where is inspiration sparking for us right now?  If you aren’t seeing that light to follow, maybe it’s time to start looking.

Queen of Wands - Cthulhu Mythos Tarot, Diabolik Tarot, Lost Hollow Tarot

Cthulhu Mythos Tarot – Surrounded and embraced by tentacles from below, this Queen holds within her an orb of energy that glows at solar plexus level.  This card speaks of being strong in one’s leadership of others.  Sometimes when we inspire others, its important to keep them on track rather than letting them just go off and do their own thing.  This card asks the question… where in your passion projects are you in need of more focus?

Diabolik Tarot – What would you do for her? To be her… or to possess her? The femme fatale has been an inspiration and motivation to many a thief, criminal,  and hero alike. She inspires them to leap forward and dive into the fray, to break the law and do amazing things.  This card speaks of being not just inspired but motivated by someone else.  It warns that you need to remember to make the choice to act based upon your own character, or whoever is motivating you will take those choices out of your hands.

Lost Hollow Tarot – Dark and mysterious, this Queen walks among a field of sunflowers at night. She is a beacon of light in the darkness, the sunflowers behind her speaking of hope and success within the encroaching darkness, if you are willing to brave the dark to follow her lead. This card says that sometimes finding inspiration is not easy or for the weak of heart, but takes courage and an intrepid spirit.

DECK USED: TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS, CTHULHU MYTHOS TAROT, DIABOLIK TAROT, LOST HOLLOW TAROT

Dark Clouds vs Paradise

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Tarot of Mystical MomentsToday’s draw is the Six of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of leaving behind what isn’t working for you in order to find something better and healthier.  This is often along the themes of leaving behind discord and strife for “calmer waters”.

Here in this imagery we have a woman lounging among the clouds, seeking an anchor and dreamily looking down at an abandoned island. Her dark cloud is ominous as she looks at something brighter and warmer and far more peaceful below.

This card is a reminder that the rush is over. A reminder that without the chaos and distraction of the holiday rush to keep things going and keep you uplifted (or numb) it’s time to lean into optimism once more.  Don’t be lackadaisical about it… don’t allow yourself to sink into sedentary stagnation.  Reach for the energy, the light, the optimism and the positivity that is needed to keep you from ending up in that dark cloud instead of in paradise.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: Do Spread #3

Tarot of Mystical MomentsSomething Important In Your Life

The Empress – Taking better care of myself.

The influence that the essence of Fire has on this important something.

Page of Wands – It can be difficult to find enthusiasm on this topic, especially as you get distracted so easily by different ideas and interests. So much of your life is ruled by these moments of enthusiasm that it can be hard to concentrate on the things that feel more “routine”.

The influence that the essence of Air has on this important something.

Two of Swords – It’s about choice… and remembering that you made the choice in the moment so that you will make it again and again. It’s about not following your emotions that say “blah, I don’t wanna” to the routine self-care that you need, and making the choice to do it anyway regardless of those feelings.

The influence that the essence of Water has on this important something.

Ace of Cups – Although this new journey toward building a better relationship with yourself is a good thing?  It can also be a bit overwhelming (based off the imagery specifically).

The influence that the essence of Earth has on this important something.

Two of Pentacles – That overwhelm is caused by imbalance and lack of stability. If you want to find a way to get on track with doing what you need for yourself on a regular basis, whether or not you “feel like it” in the moment?  You need to find a way to fit it in that works with everything else in your life instead of trying to wedge it in here and there.  Give these things a more permanent placement within your day, so that each cycle includes them automatically, instead of you trying to fit them in when and where you can.

DECK USED: TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap today.  I didn’t really want to, but I was giving Miss Luna a nuzzle and the sandman hit me on the head. Apparently I needed it as I felt much better when I woke up.

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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

EarthSix 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.

AirKing 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.

WaterQueen 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.

FireSeven 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.

WaningListen – 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.

WaxingUnder 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

Tea Time… Worldwide

IMG_9537Today’s meditation was just under nineteen minutes long and was the next installment of the mantra meditation series that I have been following along with in the Oak app.

The meditation was very relaxing and I’m starting to suspect that the reason I’m struggling with my meditation so often in the past is because I’m not doing it for long enough.  Ten minutes might be more viable as far as time and scheduling goes, but I feel like I’m getting more out of the longer meditations that I’ve been doing over the past few days.  You wouldn’t think that the addition of just five or ten minutes would make that much of a difference, and yet it feels like there is a definite benefit and increase in quality to the longer meditations than my shorter ten minute ones.

Tarot of Mystical Moments and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of generosity, sharing, and leveling out the scales between the “haves” and the “have nots” through the process of giving and receiving.

For the longest time when I was young, I didn’t like tea. I didn’t drink it and I thought it was nasty. ALL tea. It didn’t matter if you added sugar, honey, sweetener, etc. And god forbid lemon (as I’m allergic to lemons). It didn’t matter if it was hot or cold, herbal or black. I didn’t like it.

This was long lamented by both of my parents, who said that everyone drinks tea… all around the world. When I see this card, I am reminded of my mother’s words as she insisted that tea is the common denominator between races and creeds. (Of course her words ended with, “so why should you, just a little boy, go against the world’s equality?”)

In a way, they were right. Although everyone around the world does not drink tea, there is a significant swath of those that do that go beyond countries and borders, continents and ideologies. There are tea drinkers in (nearly) every culture on earth and I would (without having any real research on this) be willing to venture that other than water, it’s the most consumed beverage in the world and has been for hundreds of years (or more).

In time (in my 20’s) I learned to enjoy tea, although I only drink herbal teas and avoid anything with caffeine. In fact, I drink tea every morning along with my first meal of the day. And what I see in the message of this card, combined with the Thera-Pets card for the day has to do with how long it took me to actually appreciate tea.

No matter how much pushing and shoving, begging or insisting my parents did? Back when I was a child I had absolutely no taste for it. I didn’t like it (or any hot beverage, for that matter). But in time, in the future, I eventually found my way to it at my own pace in my own way.

Don’t worry if you can’t get into whatever it is you (or others) think you should get into or get done today. If it’s meant to be? You’ll get it done when the time is right. It’s okay if it’s not right this moment.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can better I listen to my inner voice?

The Shimmering Veil Tarot

Reading Summary:  Painful moments (Three of Swords) are new opportunities (Ace of Pentacles) just waiting for you to reach out and take advantage of them (Strength).

Take Away:  The thing about painful moments?  Is that it is in those moments that opportunities are born. The problem is that we’re so distracted by the pain that we miss the opportunity entirely.  Later on we may look back and go “damn, I wish I’d handled all that differently” but in the moment? It can be hard to see that we’re being handed an opportunity for something new to emerge in our lives.

To increase my intuitive abilities and begin to hear that inner voice more clearly, the cards indicate that I need to remember the above about those moments and begin looking for those opportunities.  Don’t get so focused on the pain that I end up forgetting to keep my eyes open and let an awareness of what is being offered pass me by.

DECK USED:  THE SHIMMERING VEIL TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsMar2021 Challenge Prompt
Question
: What can I do to encourage that arrival? (Built off of yesterday’s read.)

Tarot of Mystical MomentsReading Summary: Think over your options before you make a decision (Two of Swords). Take control of your motivation and your inspiration and use them to create forward motion (King of Wands). Lean into what’s familiar and allow it to not just guide you but lift you up when you need a little extra boost (Six of Cups).

Take Away: Yesterday’s reading was about making clever, intelligent, cunning, strategic, good choices that then create fertile soil for good things to grow from. The advice today on how to encourage this outcome is that I need to really take time to think through what I’m doing and stay focused on the direction I want things to go in while I do so.

There is a correlation between the first card and the third card through atmosphere and color that also speaks of needing to keep an optimistic outlook while I mull over these decisions, and allow what is familiar in my life (my values and moral compass) to guide me when I’m feeling torn or confused.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF MYSTICAL MOMENTS

Daily Self Kindness

I went back to the store a second time when I realized that I’d forgotten to buy Imodium.  I think this counts because I really didn’t want to go back and considered just saying “fuck it” and suffering with the stomach ache instead of returning to the store again.