Tarot of the Holy Spectrum

What Goes Up Must Come Down

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_8380Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long and was another of the guided meditations from the Calm app with added interval timer for my piriformis and forearm stretches.

Today’s topic for the guided part of the meditation was on the theme of “every day is the first day of the rest of your life” and how, when we keep this in mind, whether that’s every day, or every hour, or even every minute, it allows us to sink more firmly into the present and into those things that we want out of life, as opposed to being dragged down and distracted by the troubles and struggles of what came before.

Living Tarot - JusticeToday’s draw is the Justice card, which is traditionally a representation of cause and effect, repercussions and consequences, and can often be related to the law and justice system.

What stands out to me the strongest on this card is the jagged edges on the lightning strikes and how it contrasts so strongly with the soft swirls of the clouds above.

This speaks to me of the unexpected.  Sometimes when we do something we don’t expect the repercussions to be as harsh or heavy as they are and it takes us by surprise.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that we were treated badly or the consequence was to harsh in relation to the act that got us there… but it means that sometimes we need to think more deeply on what was done and how it affected others.

In other words, what goes up must come down, so choose your battles wisely.  Consider how you are effecting others and factor that into your actions. I think we all forget that part sometimes, myself included.

DECK USED:  LIVING TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Which is more important… love or trust?

Tarot of the Holy SpectrumReading Summary: Over-indulging (Three of Cups Rx) in generosity (Six of Pentacles) will create a sense of emotional satiation (Nine of Cups), but also a situation where hard work is needed (Eight of Pentacles).

Take Away: Love is one of those things that provides emotional satiation, and trust is something that requires hard work to foster and strengthen.

This is a story about moderation, and it indicates that neither love or trust is more important than the other. Instead, they both have pitfalls and positive influences.  They are equally important.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HOLY SPECTRUM

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How will I continue with the changes that are happening?

Naked Heart Tarot

Reading Summary:  Be aware that when you are feeling discouraged and down on your luck (Five of Pentacles), your immature emotional reaction (Spirit of Cups) is to fall into your addictions head first (The Devil).

Take Away:  They key here is in the awareness of the emotions and understanding that this reaction is immature and that there’s a better way.   The Spirit of Cups here indicates not just that immaturity, but also the ability to understand and learn from it, and find a better way to deal with things in the future.   One that is more mature and healthier.

DECK USED:  NAKED HEART TAROT

Look Before You Leap

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_8331Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and was another of the guided meditations with interval timer for my piriformis and forearm stretches.

The topic of today’s meditation was about appreciating your connections with others.  Sometimes, we take those connections and interactions for granted, and it can be hard to remember that each moment we share with others is precious.

I think that this is an excellent message, and perhaps even more important now (to myself and others) than normal when so many of us are living lives far more isolated than we ever have before. In my own life, this message really hit home considering Mister R’s current situation and the risk he is in of passing.  As much as he’s always been a hard ass, he’s also been a substitute grandparent to me since my youth.  I look down at the time I spent with him and I worry there won’t be anymore, or that I didn’t appreciate all that time that I had with him enough.

Inkromancy Tarot - Knight of WandsToday’s draw is the Knight of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of taking action to go after those things that spark your drive and passions, feeling that spark of inspiration burning bright and driving you onward, and diving into adventurous pursuits.

This card can also represent impulsivity, and that’s what I see here as what stands out the strongest to me in the imagery of this card is the skull that is formed in the rippling sands that the snail is moving into.   Snails need moisture and a desert in Egypt (see the pyramids in the background) so no place for a snail to be diving into.  Yet the rider drives the snail on, either uncaring or ignorant of the certain death about to become of his steed.

The message here is about making good choices, and how important it is to pause and use your brain instead of diving forward mindless and focused on your goal without any planning or thought for strategy or consequences.

The message here reflects back to my own life in the feelings that both Z and myself have been feeling all day concerning Mister R.   We want to go.  To just hop in the car and GO and be a support to her mother and be closer to help and comfort and lend our strength.  But doing so would be a folly.  A dangerous folly for he is very weak and when he comes home from the hospital he is going to be at extremely high risk.  Her mom is also a high risk person.  Going just to go?  Is not safe for either of them and could very well be disastrous, no matter how badly we both want to be there.

DECK USED:  INKROMANCY TAROT

LionHart’s 20/21 Tarot Challenge Prompt
Topic: How can I keep nurturing my dreams and desires throughout 2021?

Tarot of the Holy Spectrum

Reading Summary:  Work at avoiding episodes of debilitating burnout (Ten of Wands Rx) by taking control of yourself and your environment (The Emperor) so that you can get the rest you need when it’s needed (Four of Swords).

Take Away:  In the summer of this year, I had started scheduling myself a handful of days off now and then.  This is something I’ve never done before, but in the early part of the year I’d found myself hitting a brick wall of burn out over and over again in fast rotation.  It turned out that having these days off helped with that, and I didn’t have any more burnouts the rest of the year (although I was very close with the holiday rush, but that’s another beast all together).

The answer to how I can facilitate my dreams and desires throughout the year ahead is to continue with that practice.  Make time to step away for a few days each month.  I need to turn away from the business for a bit and take a breath, and in doing so, give myself the fresh eyes and fresh energy I need to dive back in again without the sharp claws of burnout raking at my shoulders.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HOLY SPECTRUM

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #3

Shadow TarotThistle: How can I ward off the blues that are trying to encroach now that the holidays are ending?

Three of Cups – Sink into enjoying time with loved ones and let them to uplift your spirits.  Z and L are not just comforting, but they’re both pretty damned silly and fun as well.  Allow them to sweep you up in that fun now and then.

Garnet: How can I purify myself to help find a better balance for the new year ahead?

The Devil – It’s time to seek control over your addictions instead of allowing them to have free reign. You did a lot of spending over the past year, but it’s time to slow down a bit and let other things take priority.  This doesn’t mean cutting yourself off entirely, so don’t create a situation where you will feel the need to binge later… just slow down and pay more attention to where your focus lies and what you’re doing.

Yew: What practices need resurrected in my life to protect my personal well-being?

Four of Swords – More rest.  This was mentioned as well in my Lionhart’s Challenge reading for today.  Now that the holiday rush is over I need to turn back to giving myself a few days off each month, allowing for time and focus to shift away from the business and giving myself the reprieve and rest I need to stave off overwhelm and burnout.

Diamond: How can my imagination foster more fearlessness in my life?

The Hermit – The words that flickered through my mind when I saw this card land on the table are “shine a light on it”.  Imagination and creativity often go hand in hand, and in order to foster more fearlessness in my life, I need to shine a light on those imaginings and possibilities, and encourage their growth rather than tucking them away in the shadows and ignoring them.

Holly: How can I create longevity in the fertile soil of my new endeavors?

King of Wands – Use all that inspiration, drive, and experience to claim what is rightfully yours.  You are fierce in your entrepreneurial spark, let that spark glimmer and glow, and use it not just to drive your own endeavors forward, but to inspire others to your cause.

Emerald: How can a closer connection to hearth & home affect my sense of loyalty?

King of Pentacles – You are the king of your own castle, and in this position as leading at the helm, others naturally fall into line in your footsteps, respecting your opinion and authority while trusting you to care for those things that need dealt with, and delegate as needed.  This sense of stability and security fosters trust and loyalty, strengthening that connection to those nearest and dearest (and under your roof).

Peppermint: What methods can I use to best stimulate my mind when I need a boost?

Nine of Cups – Wallow in the good stuff. Sometimes you just need to focus on the present and take some time to ignore the crap and enjoy the good stuff that makes you happy.  They’re nothing wrong with a little “good stuff” focused “vacation” now and then.

DECK USED:  SHADOW TAROT

Set Aside Expectation

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_8272Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis and forearm flexor stretches.

The topic of the meditation today was about how we react to others. Specifically, how we react to negativity and whether or not we take a pause to process and form a reaction… or just instantly react (often negatively) without thinking first.

The thing is?  When you get in the habit of that pause?  That pause then becomes shorter and shorter over time as you become more accustomed to utilizing it.  It becomes more ingrained and easier over time.   The same can be said by leaping before you look, which is why it’s so important to stay conscious of your initial, internal responses and pause to consider your response before actually  acting outwardly.

Lost Hollow Tarot - Four of CupsToday’s draw is the Four of Cups, which is traditionally (this deck is a Thoth deck) a representation of being apathetic towards true value as one pursues happiness on a material level, a lack of motivation when new goals are needed, and other feelings of disinterest, discontent, lack of satisfaction, or depression.

Although nothing in this card’s imagery especially stood out to me today beyond the turn of the figure’s head, which is somewhat standard across tarot imagery for the Four of Cups, as the card  hit the table this morning I did get a very clear message from it all the same.

That message portrayed to me is that in the my first day of freedom from the holiday rush, be sure to remember that I don’t have to do anything that I don’t wanna do.  I don’t have to work.  I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to.  Today can be all mine.  All about me.  I have no expectations to fulfill, and need to be sure I don’t put any expectations upon myself.

DECK USED:  LOST HOLLOW TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What needs to be purged and/or completed before the end of the year?

Madam Clara Sees All Fortune Tarot 4th EditionReading Summary: Reign in (Temperance) your resistance to change (The Tower Rx) and find a way to stop fighting against what you know will be better for you (The Lovers Rx) in the end.

Take Away: Like most people, I have an issue with change.  I know that and I know that natural inclination is present in my make up even in times when the change that’s happening is for the good and will lead to better things. 

The cards here are making it clear that this need to resist is something I need to purge as the end of the year approaches.  I do not need to work myself to the bone.  I am more than capable of jugging my work and responsibilities with my emotional and spiritual growth and self care needs. I’ve been learning over the past year how to do this in a more healthy way and it’s okay to let go now and allow that balance to slip back into place.  I just need to make sure not to “get my back up” about the shifting of the sands and allow the stressful, unhealthy habits of the holiday rush to wash away unimpeded.

DECK USED:  MADAM CLARA SEES ALL TAROT 3RD EDITION

Mystic Star December Challenge Prompt
Question: What gift should I give to myself in what remains of this year?

Tarot of the Holy Spectrum

Reading Summary: Allow yourself time to daydream (Ace of Swords) and imagine the possibilities of what’s ahead (Ace of Wands), while staying safe at home (Four of Wands) and appreciating all you’ve accomplished in the last year (Nine of Pentacles).

Take Away:  This is about lack of action.  It’s about giving myself the break that I need to rest and recover… not while ignoring the future and what’s ahead, but rather while musing about what might come and what might be possible.

Usually, my mind is so grounded in the practical and logic that I don’t take a lot of time for daydreams.  Instead I project and look at trajectories, seek out hurdles and potholes on the path and prepare for them, etc.  What the cards are describing here is not that, but rather about looking forward into the future with hope, optimism, and an eager hint of imagination.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HOLY SPECTRUM

Don’t Close Off

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_8041Today’s meditation was just under ten minutes long and was a guided meditation about mindfulness and how it isn’t some metaphysical magic or weird fad, but rather is about learning how to be in the moment rather than constantly distracted by plans for the future or inner thoughts and dialog that steal away your attention.

With life moving so fast and so much going on in the world, it isn’t surprising that it would be challenging for people to focus on the here and now.  There always seems to be something to drag our attention in a million different directions.  Meditation is a way of fostering mindfulness and that single minded focus.  That focus developed through meditation can then be carried forward into everyday life and applied to one’s interests, goals, and endeavors to take you deeper into the things you enjoy.

Tarot of the Holy Spectrum - Page of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Page of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, home life, health, resources, and manifestations.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is that the figure is barefoot, and there’s a deer in the background. The bare feet signify to me both a sense of vulnerability as well as a sense of grounding and a connection to the earth.   The deer in the background reinforces that sense of vulnerability I sense from the bare feet of the figure.  There is also a sense of regal quiet about the deer that blends into the omega energy that the page represents.

The message I see in this card today is about being receptive to what the earth has to offer and teach. Right now in my life I am so wrapped up in the holiday rush and my work that I barely have time for much of anything else. Eating is done while I work. Showering is rushed. Sleep is short. Every hour of my day is spent working to keep up on orders. In order to keep from being overwhelmed by the desire to do other things or become distracted, I close myself off from the world around me in many ways.

The reminder here is to not close myself off. I am strong enough and grounded enough to weather the storm while remaining open and receptive.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HOLY SPECTRUM

#DiscordTarotolicsDec2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: Will I want to move if they build an apartment building behind my condo as I heard they are planning to do? (Prompted by the fact that the people that lived there moved out this weekend, and there’s a construction trailer in the yard next door.)

Inkromancy Tarot The edges of the aura in the Ten of Cups display a shade of color that matches the hot pink and magenta shades in the Nine of Coins.  This connects the two cards together that indicates that they are saying that I will continue to feel contented here in my place and grateful for what I have, even if the apartment building goes up behind my place.

That said, the Page of Cups with it’s arc of empty circles echoes the arc of coins behind the figure in the Nine of Coins.  This correlation says that it will take a bit of adjustment to settle into those feelings of comfort and gratitude. It will be a… learning experience.  Although, not in a negative way that many of life’s “learning experiences” can be.

DECK USED:  INKROMANCY TAROT