Tarot of Reincarnation

Don’t Be a Sad Sack

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I took a break from… well, pretty much everything for a couple of days. So I have nothing to say here other than I’m getting back on track now (Sunday September 27th).   I -did- meditate yesterday… but honestly?  I can’t remember a thing about it other than the fact that I did it.

Botan Tarot - Five of CupsToday’s draw is the Five of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of disappointments, regrets, and all around an attitude of apathy and/or pessimism. 

Honestly?  Talk about calling my ass out right?  Because I’ve been a cranky ass sad sack motherf’k’r for the past few days.   I know it’s the drop and I get that, but jesus I’m just a mess and it’s definitely showing.

The message in today’s card is about looking beyond the crap that’s dragging you down. It’s about gratitude and appreciation for that beautiful stack of four unbroken cups behind the one broken one that has snagged your attention.

An echo from my earlier bonus reading this morning… today’s message is about not allowing yourself to sink into negative emotions and thoughts.  Feel them, and then move beyond them to appreciate what you have that is good and positive and makes you happy.

DECK USED:  BOTAN TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: How to better connect with my intuition?

Tarot of Reincarnation

Reading Summary:  Decisive action to make things better (Eight of Hearts), trust in the tools at your disposal (Magician), and release of the certainties that are not serving me (Tower).

Take Away:  This is about the balance I seek between my emotional balance and my work balance for the busy season ahead.  The cards here are telling me to let go of the feelings and certainty I have about that I have to choose one or the other.  I have all of the tools at my disposal to allow myself to adapt and move forward into a better future. 

The reading here is about trust.  Trust that I’m on the right path.  Trust in my intuition and its messages.  It’s about not allowing my fears and uncertainties to cloud my intuition’s voice. 

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is something new I should try?

Archeon TarotReading Summary: Stop being such a sad sack (Five of Cups).  Take control of your inner narrative (King of Swords) and turn that shit around into positive progress (Knight of Pentacles).

Take Away:  There is a reason that this is “something new” to try.  It’s because that negative depression and pessimistic voice in my head is familiar and… that familiarity is comfortable even if it is not good for me.  Familiarity and comfort, in this instance, is the opposite of good for me and thus, the “something new” to try is both good for me and uncomfortable… but needs to be done.

That something new?  Is taking control of my inner narrative rather than allowing myself to sink into it.  The Knight of Pentacles says that in this being something unfamiliar, it might take a little time and practice to get it right… but it’s still good progress, no matter how uncomfortable or how long it takes.

DECK USED:  ARCHEON TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: How have those who I surround myself with by choice contributed to my personal journey and values?

Art Nouveau Tarot c. 1989

Reading Summary: They have taught me to be more careful in what I say and how I say it (Three of Swords atop King of Swords Rx) when in the middle of speaking on those things I believe in (Seven of Staves), which creates a far more stable and strong foundation with which to approach from (King of Staves).

Take Away:  One of the most valuable lessons I have learned from those that I choose to surround myself with is how to communicate better with others. Communication, for me, often feels like a field full of landmines that I need to cross to get to the other side. Each word a footstep with the potential to blow up in my face.

As I’ve gotten older, those around me have helped me in learning how to present and discuss things in ways that are less confrontational or aggressive, which helps a lot in my communication with others in all aspects of my life.

DECK USED:  ART NOUVEAU TAROT c. 1989

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I stop taking criticism personally?

Samiramay Tarot

Reading Summary: Take control of your reactions through willpower (The Chariot). Don’t be so quick to jump to a pessimistic interpretation (Five of Cups) that ends up hurting my feelings (Three of Swords).

Take Away:  This is about slowing down and making sure that I’m looking at things from a more impersonal “out of my own shoes” view.  I need to remember that criticism also has an opportunity within it for improvement in most cases.  So instead of allowing criticism to strike at my heart with words, I need to look instead at what benefits and positive messages I can take from the criticism being given.

DECK USED:  SAMIRAMAY TAROT

Don’t Forget Your Pants

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IMG_6611Today’s meditation was just under eleven minutes long and was one of the guided meditations with interval timer that focuses on fostering love and light, first toward yourself, then towards your loved ones, and eventually expanding that energy outward to the world at large and all that are within it.

It’s funny, because I always do pretty well when it comes to the first two, but at the last one I stumble a bit.  It’s not that I don’t understand the concept of spreading love and light around the world… it’s that I dislike the feeling of expelling free-flowing energy without a boundary or tether to myself.  So, I feel that this preference ends up limiting my “reach” when it comes to trying to do this sort of exercise.

This isn’t so much a “can’t” as a preference.  I feel that I touch other’s lives in  a wide variety of different positive ways.  Through my interactions both in person and online, through my work and the jewelry I make that I then send out into the world, and through all of the different small things I do each day for others.  I just don’t feel that that fully open and free flowing energy is one of those ways that suits me best.

Hush Tarot - Knight of SwordsToday’s draw is is the Knight of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s intellect, thoughts, communication, and instincts.  This often translates into impulsivity, ambition, and all-or-nothing thinking.

What stands out in the imagery of this card today is the figure in the foreground with his staff and helmet. Impulsivity is one of the key themes of the Knight of Swords, and look at that… this guy in the imagery is so raring to go that he forgot to put his pants on.

I’m pretty sure that pants are of key importance when going into battle.  In fact, I’d venture to guess that there are very few battles out there that you’d be keen to be without them.

The message in today’s card is to make sure you’re prepared.  Take the time and the forethought to prepare properly and have yourself in full gear before you step out the door into the fray.  In other words?  Don’t forget your pants.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: How to improve my communication?

Science Tarot

Reading Summary: Forced departure from a simpler perception (Three of Swords). Unpredictable and uncontrollable outcomes overlapping the application of thoughtful experimentation. Trust your gut to make the right choices (Seven of Cups).

Take Away:   You need to accept that sometimes?  There’s just no way to avoid pissing people off or tripping over someone’s triggers.  It happens and it’s not always your fault… sometimes it’s no one’s fault at all.  It’s just how the chips fall.  As long as you’re making the best decisions you can with the info you have available, and trusting your gut when it demands to override logic?  Then you’re doing just fine.

DECK USED:  SCIENCE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What lessons can Libra season (which begins on the 23rd) teach me this year?

Tarot of ReincarnationReading Summary: Sometimes when things feel out of control or off kilter (Wheel of Fortune) you spend too much time spinning your wheels (Knight of Spades) which, if allowed to go on for too long (Seven of Diamonds), can result in stressful situations rising up to smack you in the face (Dog in the Seven of Diamonds).

Take Away:  So my lesson for Libra season is that it’s okay to procrastinate, but only so long as you don’t procrastinate for so long that it creates problems.  I’ve been really struggling with the whole procrastination thing over the past couple of weeks, and the cards keep reassuring me that it’s okay.  Here, I’m given a reminder that it’s only okay for a while… not forever.  I need to learn where that line is.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I better accept myself, including my faults?

The Painted Tarot

Reading Summary: Judge yourself as you would others (Judgement), take your time because it takes time to get there (Knight of Coins), and don’t be so defensive (Nine of Wands).

Take Away:  The cards here outline three separate keys that work together in helping me accept myself and my faults better.  

Key 1) Judge yourself as you would others.  I am so much nicer to others in my judgements than I am on myself.  I know this, and I have been trying to be more forgiving, but I understand I still have a long way to go.

Key 2) Take your time because it takes time to get there.   Everything work having is worth working for, and a lot of those things also require patience in order to earn them. I’m often far too impatient with myself, and this is why I push myself so hard.  The Knight of Wands is all about forward motion and patience.

Key 3) Don’t be so defensive. This isn’t something that I necessarily show all that often externally.  But there are times when my faults show through and are called out on… that I feel very defensive and hurt on the inside about it.  I need to remember that everyone has faults and that’s not just allowed but okay.

DECK USED:  THE PAINTED TAROT

Don’t Forget to Anchor

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IMG_6518Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer again.  The topic of today’s meditation was an introduction to the act of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), which is in its essence, a form of nature therapy.

This is something that I do quite often.  In fact, the majority of the time when I say that I’m “going for a hike”?  You can bet that there is a bit of shinrin-yoku going on in there at least part of the time.

Forest bathing is different than hiking, though, as instead of moving at a steady pace that exercises the body, you move at a slower, meandering pace and your focus is upon the surroundings and “smelling the roses” as you move through the forest. The Pacific rainforests where I live have always enchanted me, and I have done this sort of activity since I was a very young child.

Botan Tarot - Eight of WandsToday’s draw is the Eight of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of movement, action, speed, and rapid changes.  Many people have trouble seeing this card as a stand-alone card and feel that it is more of a support card to others, much like an adverb or adjective would be added to a sentence.

I see a lot of things in this card that indicate speed.  A shooting star streaks across the sky while bamboo grows at a fast pace below, stretching upward and flourishing.   But I also see constancy in the sky itself.  Stars sparkle in inky darkness, moving at a much slower pace that sailors and explorers alike have used for centuries as tools of navigation and inspiration.

The message here in this card is about the whirlwind of moving fast, but it is also about the steady purity of having an anchor in the storm.  Unleashing energy into the wild maelstrom of inspiration and intent is  empowering and can feel wild and freeing, but make sure that you don’t follow that wild feeling so deeply into the storm that you lose your grip on the safety and security of those things that give your life stability.

DECK USED:  BOTAN TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: What needs healing on my heart chakra?

Tarot of Alexander Daniloff 2012

Reading Summary: No matter how much you give (Six of Coins) or how hard you work and how skilled you become (Eight of Coins), you never feel like it’s enough (Seven of Swords).

Take Away:  It’s that “Never Enough” shadow eh?  It lives right there in my heart chakra, whispering insidiously in my ear from time to time, making sure I’m not going easy on myself or slacking off.  I knew that it would probably come up eventually as we went through the chakras on this month’s challenge, and it doesn’t surprise me that it shows up in this one.

I had planned on doing shadow work this year concerning this particular shadow, but it turned out the shadow work I did instead was about allowing myself to feel my feelings and finding a new balance for my self care and work methods.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF ALEXANDER DANILOFF 2012

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: What are the 3 major weaknesses of humanity?

Archeon TarotSeven of Swords – Envy / Covetousness – So many fights, battles, wars, and horrible acts stem from this weakness. Coveting what others have and giving into the envy we feel moves our inner conflict from these feelings to spill out into violence against others, whether that violence be emotional, verbal, physical, economical, or otherwise.

Herald of Pentacles – Intolerance for Differences – This is less about the “Herald of Pentacles” and more about the imagery. It’s from the clash of colors in the image as well as the expression on the herald’s face.  The thing is that intolerance of differences is a huge failing for the human race. On the average, when humans are confronted with differences they react with fear, disgust, and/or morbid curiosity.  Although this is an evolutionary reaction developed over centuries of survival instincts, it is also hurtful and, in today’s society, so very closed minded and wrong on so many levels.  Although understandable, it is also a weakness that is time to begin overcoming.

The High Priestess – Disregarding Intuition – So many in the world consider intuition to be “a bunch of woo” instead of a real quality of humanity meant that all people possess.  This quality is a skill that we all have and has been developed over millennia of evolution to help us navigate life. It is given many names from “gut feelings” to “inner compass”, but whatever we call it, the fact is that it is there to help us make good decisions.  Ignoring it is misguided and self-defeating behavior that helps no one.

DECK USED:  ARCHEON TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question:  Am I currently in the right romantic partnership to fully flourish?

Tarot of Reincarnation

Reading Summary: When I’m a mess (Nine of Spades) he provides me what I need (Ten of Hearts) to continue on and improve (Eight of Diamonds).

Take Away:  Yes.  He is the counterweight that keeps me balanced.  When my inner dialog turns into a slaughter house of cruelty, he is there to make sure that my emotional fulfillment with him is able to heal what my mind is trying to tear apart.  He supports me and my ambitions to be the best I can at all that I do, giving me his unconditional love each and every day.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I silence my inner critic?

Sasuraibito Tarot

Reading Summary: Focus on your growth beyond what has tried to hold you back in the past (Page of Pentacles), accept you are strong enough to overcome that voice (Strength), and be kind and accepting to yourself (Nine of Cups).

Take Away:  My inner critic’s voice is one of pessimism and beratement.  In order to overcome it, the cards here indicate I need to take stock of all that I have done and accomplished in growing beyond what my past tried to lay upon me, and to allow those experiences and my triumph over them to foster my feelings of strength so that I can then use that strength to fight back against my inner critic’s voice and what it whispers in my ear.

DECK USED:  SASURAIBITO TAROT

Honor Over Impulse

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IMG_6356Today’s meditation was eleven minutes long and was another guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretching. The topic of today’s guided meditation was dealing with feelings of overwhelm.

Specifically, the meditation spoke on how when we become overwhelmed, it is often because we are trying to take on too much at once.  In truth though, a project or any topic of overwhelm is so overwhelming because it is so big.  To solve this problem, we need to remember to break these huge projects and responsibilities down into bite sized pieces.

Like when you clean a house… you look at the house as a whole and it looks overwhelming and like so much work.  Too much work.  Instead, we need to look at the cleaning of a house as a bunch of little tasks.  Dust one piece of furniture.  Wipe down one counter.  

In breaking down these big projects, we then can see them as small things we can manage to do.  And if we focus on one small thing at a time, pretty soon that huge pile of crap to get done is  whittled down to nothing.

Hush Tarot - Five of SwordsToday’s draw is the Five of Swords, which traditionally is a representation of tests, trials, and conflict in the area of one’s thoughts, logic, intellect, and communication. This type of conflict often comes across as disagreements and competition, but what I find this card often indicates that is not so common of an interpretation is the “winning at all costs” attitude that this card can often convey, as well as being a reflection of “the spoils of war”.

Probably not surprisingly, what stood out to me in the imagery of this card is the plants. The flower in the background looks a lot like a clover bud, and yet the greenery beneath looks like dandelion leaves.

One of the lesser known representations of the white clover is revenge.  This combined with the dandelion, which commonly represents standing strong and overcoming hardships, gives me the impression that in this case the battle has already been fought, and what we are witnessing in the card’s imagery is the aftermath.

The card here today is a reminder that the honor of standing tall is more important than the temporary satisfaction of retaliation.  Sometimes (and I admit that this very well could be due to my Scorpio moon) I have this overwhelming urge to lash back at those that piss me off or irritate me.  The card here today is an encouragement to rise above these urges.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How do I grow from my mistakes?

Tarot of Reincarnation

Reading Summary: Open your eyes and pay attention (Eight of Spades) so that you can see your mistakes (Ace of Diamonds Rx) as opportunities to grow (Jack of Diamonds).

Take Away:  This is about carrying forward the knowledge gained during my mistakes so that I don’t repeat them and can course-correct before mistakes become catastrophic. By learning to identifying mistakes early or by taking the lessons that come from them when you can’t course correct in time, I am then able to turn those mistakes into something of value instead of just another fuckup.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION

Avoidance

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Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long, and I nearly fell asleep there at the end.  I was just so comfortable and the temperature was just right… it was hard to drag my ass up to get working.   And on that note, I promise that when I soak in the tub on Saturday (or maybe tomorrow), that I won’t nap in there.   I’ll be careful.

Hush Tarot - Eight of CupsToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of emotionally disconnecting and/or walking away.  This type of withdrawal or abandonment is usually created through a sense of disappointment, although other emotions are also able to be at play in bringing this card’s theme to the forefront.

What stands out to me in this card is the Fae girl in the lower left corner and the fact that she is pulling on (or off) a hood/headdress that had her concealed as a blackbird.  This brought to mind the phrase “a wolf in sheep’s clothing”, which then had me wondering… who is she hiding from?  What is it she hides from?   What has she need to retreat from or distance herself from that she has to conceal herself under the cloak of feathers?

And there is the message in today’s card.   It’s time to look at what I am avoiding.  What am I trying to distance myself from in life, and why haven’t I cut the ties entirely instead of trying to hide and avoid? I don’t have the answers to this right now, but it’s something that needs to be mulled over.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: Where do I need to bring light in?

Archeon Tarot

Reading Summary: Your mental dialogue (skull imagery in the Ace of Swords) and inner process is to conflicted (Five of Wands). Your bad habits are blinding you (Eight of Swords) to the good.

Take Away:  You need to be nicer to yourself and open your eyes to the positive instead of always settling on the negative and pessimistic views that are your habit.  This applies to both your inner dialogue with yourself, as well as your outlook on the world at large.  The pessimism and negativity is creeping in.  Be aware of it and deal with it… don’t just turn a blind eye and let it grow.

Oh…. shit.   And there’s the answer to what I’m avoiding from my COTD today.

DECK USED:  ARCHEON TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What projects and energies am I taking with me into Autumn?

Telluric TarotReading Summary: New emotional growth (Ace of Cups)… growth by keeping the past in its place (Six of Cups under Death) instead of allowing it free reign.  Fostering my relationships through connecting with those important to me (Two of Cups).

The Wisteria and Peridot card is an indication of hope and positive inspiration on an emotional level.  It speaks of my emotional growth not being over, but still being in the budding stages.  I love the combination peridot and wisteria in this card because it feels so hopeful and positive.

In the Adder Stone and Clover, we see the energies of childhood experience, enchantment, and curiosity.  With the card that sits atop this card being what it is (will cover that in a moment) what I see in this card is a reference to my childhood.

The Aragonite and Ghost Pipe card pins the childhood reference in place on the table.  It holds it down and keeps it in its place. Both aragonite and ghost pipe are highly unusual in how they appear in the world.  They speak of life rising from what one would think as inhospitable environments, and beauty formed through organic growth.

Lastly we come to the Amazonite and Forget-Me-Nots (Myotosis).  There is a harmony to the Amazonite, which in this card is features in a cluster combined with Smoky Quartz.  The Myotosis then lends a gentle warmth to the representation of coexistence and mutual growth.

Take Away: My emotional growth will continue through the Autumn months and, unlike last year, I need to make sure to keep my past in the past.  That means not allowing father issues to rise up as the veil gets thinner late next month.  Depending on Gideon and others that I have a close emotional connection with can help me in keeping things in balance.

DECK USED:  TELLURIC TAROT

Lionharts #AstroTarotChallenge
Question: In what direction am I being asked to personally grow starting this month?

Tyldwick Tarot

Reading Summary:  There’s going to be a sudden collapse and shift in direction over this month concerning my personal growth (Three of Staves under the Tower).  Remember that new beginnings (Ace of Coins) sometimes take a good deal of time to grow into anything of value, but the wait is worth it (Seven of Coins).

Take Away: This is about my emotional growth, and having to change gears abruptly into the whole business aspect of things. There will be a moment of frustration involved in the kicking off of this new perspective where income is concerned.  This is to be expected and happens every year.  Patience is important.  Just keep plugging away at it and soon you’ll be reaping the rewards. 

(Then later on after the holiday rush is over, you can return to the emotional growth that has been your focus for so much of this year to date.)

DECK USED:  TYLDWICK TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:What do I need in order to create success?

Tarot of Reincarnation

Reading Summary: Nurturing strength and dignity (Empress/Eagle) combined with a passionate pursuit of dreams (Queen of Clubs/Longhorn Beetle) and an unrelenting foundational strength (Queen of Diamonds/Lion).

Take Away:  In order to create success, I need to feel that I have a good foundation and nurturing energy to encourage me into following my dreams.  And of course, I need those dreams themselves as well, and the strength to accept and go after them regardless of how silly or impractical that they may seem.  Manifesting success is about making the impossible possible through intention, vision, and determination.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF REINCARNATION