Tarot of the Animal Lords

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 2 Comments

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?

Ophidia Rosa Botanical Tarot, Roots & Wings Oracle, and Messengers of the Great Bear Oracle

Earth – Ace of Swords and Intuition – Use your intuition this week to weed out the good ideas from the bad ones.  Instead of hemming and hawing over whether an idea is good or not.  You have an opportunity to get yourself back on track with your physical health, but you need to follow your gut and allow it to lead you forward.  Head, mental health, emotions… none of those are going to keep you on track… but your intuition absolutely will.

Air – The Hanged Man and Storm – This week you return back to your regular dosage of meds, and you need to make sure to stay objective as you watch out for any repercussions of the shift back. The up in meds seemed to have helped in tugging you back from the depression’s edge, but it’ll still be a few weeks before you know for sure that you’re out of the woods.

Water – The World atop Three of Swords Rx, and Mother – You still have plenty of time to enjoy your time off and your new connection with your emotions. Take this time to enjoy the new world opening up before you instead of struggling under the knowledge that the holiday rush is coming and will force you into focusing on something else for a while.

Fire – The Empress and Crafty – Only work on the things that make you happy this week and give you comfort.  No stress or forcing yourself into work you aren’t feeling or don’t want to do. There’s plenty of fun and creative things you can do that won’t weigh on you the burdens of responsibility. This is your week off. Have fun and give your soul the nurturing spark it needs.

Waning – Goose – Don’t worry about what others want and need this week, and don’t concern yourself with their demands or the collaborative projects and goals that are upcoming.  This week needs to be focused upon you and what you need.

Waxing – Steller’s Jay atop Humpback Whale – You’re going to be having some contact with your family this week.  Make sure that you don’t just pacify them, but instead speak honestly about how you feel and what you want.

Take Away – These cards are all about me and nurturing myself, keeping my needs in mind, and allowing myself this time to relax and recover instead of trying to push work on myself at a time when rest is needed.  There is also, of course, a warning to make sure I’m watching out for my depression levels and to connect with those things I enjoy.

DECKS USED:  OPHIDIA ROSA BOTANICAL TAROT, ROOTS & WINGS ORACLE, AND MESSENGERS OF THE GREAT BEAR ORACLE

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

Feline Marseilles Tarot, There Is Always Light Oracle, Wildcraft! Herbal Adventure Game Cards

Earth – Page of Swords and Repair – You need to do a bit of work on your relationships at home and clear up any miscommunication that is lingering between you and your sister. That niggling feeling you’ve been having of instability at home is coming from this issue.

Air – The Star atop Two of Wands, Encroach – Combat encroaching negativity with having a plan in place that includes hope, and connectivity with not just the physical aspects of your world but the emotional and spiritual as well. By having a plan in place, you can head things off at the pass and possibly bypass them altogether.

Water – The Fool and Shield – Work on preserving a positive outlook and enthusiasm for what’s coming through proactive protection practices. A shield is more than just a barrier to hide behind, but allows you to see what’s coming and better react upon its arrival.

Fire – The Hermit and Deceit – Don’t allow the machinations of others to dull your flame. Connect with your healthy alone time practices in order to weather any malicious mischief coming your way. In other words? More time in the woods is needed to shore up your foundation.

Waning – Elder (Sambucus cerulea) atop Burn – You’ve had time to process the sting of what happened last week and to restore yourself from the experience.  Although you are still a bit tender, it’s time to take the rebirth that has happened and carry it forward instead of dwelling upon it and treating it with kids gloves.

Waxing – Jewelweed (Impatiens capensis) atop Poison Ivy – The crushed leaves of the Jewelweed are a well known treatment for poison ivy, and ice made with the herb frozen inside it are good for treating many types of rashes and skin inflammation. Lean into the things that bring you comfort, and head off irritants (whether things or people) at the pass before they can get to you and make a mess of things.

Take Away – There is a great deal of advice here on shoring up stable foundations and making sure that the things and people that could throw a wrench in my balance are dealt with quickly and efficiently through either leaning into optimism or purging these things before they can get a foot in the door.

DECKS USED:  FELINE MARSEILLES TAROT, THERE IS ALWAYS LIGHT ORACLE, WILDCRAFT! HERBAL ADVENTURE GAME CARDS

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

Animism Tarot, The Essential Oils Healing Cards, Faery Blessing Oracle

Earth – Five of Wands and Cardamom – Obviously, I am still quite worked up over the whole PayPal thing that happened last week. The cards here indicate that I need to work on seeing beyond the feelings of being picked on and the injustice that I feel happened here, and move on to finding a clear path forward. Clarity is needed, and you cannot have clarity when you are still wallowing in shit or trying to stand your ground against impossible odds.

Air – Page of Pentacles and Yarrow – Again, we are on the topic of what happened with PayPal and how my emotions were affected by this event. The thing is though, the Page of Pentacles here indicates that working forward towards a better solution will serve me far better and the Yarrow promises that in doing this I will heal those wounds along the way. Focus forward… not back.

Water – The Magician and Basil – Through your emotional growth in journey, you have learned the tools you need to move past this issue and restore yourself back to balance once more. You need to lean on these tools that you have learned, instead of allowing yourself to fall into old, unhealthy habits. With depression knocking on my door, this vote of encouragement is about more than just my upset with PayPal, but also the onset of depression trying to creep up and drag me in.

Fire – Page of Cups and Lime – Be sure to introduce a mindset of creative play into your work and business, and it will help refresh your perspective and help you see your work in a new light so that it doesn’t once again begin to feel like a chore.

Waning – A Blessing of Airmid atop A Blessing of Dreams – Earthly concerns outweighing your dreams. Now isn’t a time to get weighed down. Daydreams and lollygagging are absolutely not just allowed, but essential.

Waxing – A Blessing of the Wild Within – Although your ankle is not yet fully healed, make some time to take an easy path through wooded areas that will let your true inner nature flourish. Spend some time lying in the moss and gazing up at a canopy of leaves overhead. Visit with those of the green and forest that come to greet you, drawn by that inner root that connects you with them.

Take Away – A large part of the message in this reading is that I need to let go of what happened with PayPal and work on easing the anxieties, worries, and depression that was triggered by the emotional upheaval I experienced. To do this I need to make sure that I am looking forward instead of wallowing, and making sure that I get out in nature so that I can have some time of grounding and healing among the earth and the green and those that rustle among the leaves.

DECKS USED: ANIMISM TAROT, THE ESSENTIAL OILS HEALING DECK, FAERY BLESSINGS CARDS

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

Crystal Bones Tarot, Journey To The Heart Oracle, Essential Oils Healing Deck

Earth – Two of Cups atop High Priestess, True Voice – Listening to your intuition and connecting with others for support from those closest to you will help you in staying on track this week.

Air – Three of Cups, Harmony atop Inner Child – Find peace and harmony with your inner child this week by connecting with others.  This echoes the need for support in the more earth bound areas of your life, as is mentioned above.

Water – Four of Cups and Cleansing – Work at letting go of your lingering feelings of dejection. Seek a viewpoint of having washed away something that is no longer needed.

Fire – Five of Cups and Resilience – An echo from the Water position in this reading, what we see here is a need to remember just how resilient you are, and that what happened last week is not the end of the world. Make sure you aren’t catastrophizing it.

Waning – Clove (Eugenia caryophyllata) atop Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) – Let go of the feelings associated with what happened last week. You don’t have control over everything and it’s okay not to. You don’t want to be in charge and in control of every little thing anyway. Instead of trying to cling and hold on to what you can’t have, let go and free yourself by moving forward.

Waxing – Mānuka (Leptospermum scoparium) – Focus this week on easing agitation. With your anxiety stirred up and the storm now in the rear view, you need to give yourself time relax and recover your equilibrium.

Take Away – This week is all about re-establishing my emotional balance after the upset from last week, and finding the best ways possible to work through the issues that want to try and linger and cause problems later on.   Leaning on those close to you, focusing on intuition over self destructive inner dialogue, and seeking the boon out of the situation are all parts of this process in the week ahead.

DECKS USED: CRYSTAL BONES TAROT, JOURNEY TO THE HEART ORACLE, ESSENTIAL OILS HEALING DECK

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

Anecdotes Tarot, Wildlife Wisdom Oracle, and Flower Medicine Oracle

Earth – Queen of Pentacles, Bighorn Sheep atop Bear – You are the the steady rock within your home, and the one that others look to for help, advice, and support.  This may end up being far more apparent than usual this week.  Remember to stay grounded and you’ll be able to handle the rest with grace.

Air – Ten of Wands and Dragonfly – Keep an eye on your tendency to put too much on your plate this week (and your tendency to feel guilty when you don’t). It’s important to keep in mind that you are working at changing things, and that might come with a bit of guilt, but it will also help you in finding a better path if you’re mindful of the changes being made as you make them.  Stay tapped in and observant so that you can catch moments when you might be tempted to backslide into old habits instead of moving forward.

Water – Two of Cups and Fox – Enjoy play with Gideon this week.  Get what you can and have fun with it.  Enjoy your time together and use it to explore each other and the stories that you create together.  You need this emotionally and it will help lift you up and bring you a greater level of happiness.

Fire – The Emperor and Salmon – Don’t spend too much time stressing over and worrying about the slump in sales right now.  Just float along and let your focus turn to other things for the time being.  Things are going to pick up eventually and your responsibilities will multiply exponentially.  For now?  Just float along and let your interests go to those things that they’re drawn to for a while longer.

Waning – Daisy (innocence) – Be careful about looking at others and the world with too much naivety.  It’s all well and good to add some optimism and positivity to your outlook, but don’t let it blind you to reality and the dangers out there.

Waxing – Bee Balm (protection from illness) – Start taking your vitamins and drinking your daily tea again.  It made sense to take a break from the tea for a bit while the temperatures were so high, but you need the collagen peptides, and you need your vitamins.

Take Away – The majority of this reading is about taking things easy for a little longer, enjoying what I can and savoring these slow times instead of being uncomfortable with them and anxious about them.

DECKS USED:  ANECDOTES TAROT, WILDLIFE WISDOM ORACLE, FLOWER MEDICINE ORACLE

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

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?

Kiddy Kats Tarot, Pounce Game Cards, Oracle of the Essences 2nd Ed

Earth – Four of Wands and Athletics / Wild – You know that phrase “home is where the heart is“? Sometimes that means your home isn’t at where you live, but rather where you feel most comfortable and happiest. For you, that means it’s time to get your ass out into the woods again and do some hiking. Go somewhere that you can climb and really put some effort into the activity, and it will feel even more rewarding.

Air – The Sun and Attacking / Toughness – Negative inner dialogue is not your friend, and you need to stand strong in the face of it so that you can allow optimism to flourish. Don’t focus on that negative dialogue, but rather on positivity and optimism. If you uplift yourself, that negative inner voice will get bored and start to fade for a while. Negative reinforcement will only breed more negativity.

Water – Justice atop Page of Coins, Cuteness / Wild – Just like with your negative inner dialogue, you need to keep a check on your negative emotions. Combat them not with more negative talk and consternation, but with a sweet and understanding attitude and creative optimism. You can’t balance the scales by piling negative on top of negative.

Fire – Strength and Catnip Distraction – Some of the most wonderful and creative things happen when you’re distracted. Don’t consider that a weakness, for distraction can also be one of your greatest strengths. In other words, too much focus isn’t necessarily a good thing.

Waning – Jasmine (Finale / Fertility) – This week will give you the opportunity to clear out that stagnant energy that’s been stifling your creativity.

Waxing – Spearmint (Creative Expression) – You are a wordsmith, and this week will provide you with opportunities to let the shine. Expression, especially in the creative realm, is your forte and is at your fingertips this week. You have the ability to touch people with your words, so do so.

Take Away – A breath of fresh air is moving through your life this week. Make sure to breathe deeply and enjoy it. Keep your mind and your emotions leaning into the positive and optimism in order to make your days feel a bit brighter and keep your negative inner dialogue at an arms length.

DECKS USED:  KIDDY KATS TAROT, POUNCE GAME CARDS, ORACLE OF THE ESSENCES 2ND EDITION