Winter Solstice 2023 – Yule Day Lenormand Reading

Yuletide Lenormand Reading with the Simply Christmas Lenormand

What aspect of yourself is seeking growth?

Cross and Letter – Communicating your struggles to others is something that you’ve always had difficulty with, and it results in you taking on more and more burden instead of it being distributed among those that could help. This is an area you still need to work on, for as much as you’ve improved in this area, you still have a long way to go.

How can you shed light on this aspect to allow for that growth?

Dog and Key – The key here is in trusting those that are loyal to you. Sharing your struggles and how you are doing with them opens you up to vulnerability.  It’s through those that are trusted and loyal that you are safe in opening up and sharing. Cast your attention their way.

What needs to be sacrificed to allow room for this growth?

Tree and Lady – Stop worrying so much about her health and well-being, and instead focus on your own.

DECKS USED:  SIMPLY CHRISTMAS LENORMAND

Tarotholics Challenge Dec 16, 18, 19

#DiscordTarotholicsDec2023 Challenge
Questions for December 16th, 18th, 19th

Tarotholics Challenge Tarot Reading with the Christmas Tales Tarot

Where should you direct your focus to foster better understanding towards others?

King of Pentacles atop The Empress – Remember that in their minds you will always be the stable strength that nurtures them and creates for them a sense of security and stability as well as comfort. They do not see you in the same light you see yourself, but with eyes of admiration and love.

Where should you direct your focus this week to be more…

Kind – Queen of Wands – Encourage others to follow their dreams and listen to them when they share their excitement with you.  Foster their desire to share these ideas and dreams with you.

Patient – Queen of Cups – Look at others as people needing emotional support, rather than treacherous landmines on the field of life.

Grateful – Seven of Cups – It’s a choice. You can cast your attention to those things that you have to be grateful for, and in doing so you become more grateful… or you can ignore these things and it will close you off more and more from others and your own happiness.

What aspects of your life could benefit from some grounding and centering?

Knight of Pentacles – It’s time to return to slow progress. The holiday rush is a time of chaos and things being so busy that there’s no time for anything else… no time to even breathe.  Now that the holiday rush is at an end, it’s time to slow your roll.  You’ll still be moving forward, but at a more manageable pace.

Page of Cups – It’s time to return to your emotions and the development of your emotional intelligence. Over the past few weeks you have had to tamp down on your emotions and close them away. Now is the time to open those closed doors and begin sorting through things and returning to the journey of learning you’ve been working on for the past couple of years.

DECK USED: CHRISTMAS TALES TAROT

Finding the Positive for December 16 – 18

Christmas Storybook Tarot, Xmas Elf Tarot, Christmas Tale Tarot, and Christmas Affirmation Cards

December 16

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Nine of Cups – “Your kindness is the best present anyone could receive.” Strum up within you a wellspring of good cheer.  Sometimes it takes time by yourself to look over all that you’re grateful for and happy about, but we can’t sit there and wallow in all that goodness all by ourselves forever.  Make sure that you take that time… and then step out to share your happiness with others.  Let them know how you feel about them, and how grateful you are to have them in your life.

DECK USED: STORYBOOK CHRISTMAS TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 17

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Ten of Wands – “Self-care the crap out of yourself and you’ll get through this just fine.”  It can be hard when you’re feeling overwhelmed to make sure you are prioritizing your needs. Right now with everything so chaotic and busy, this is even more the case.  Today’s cards are a reminder that you -are- in fact overwhelmed, and need to give yourself a bit of self care and understanding.  In doing so, you bolster your energy, your resilience, and your mental health…. which allows you to keep going.

The finish line isn’t that far now.  You’re almost there.  Give yourself what you need in order to make the last leg of the journey.

DECK USED: XMAS ELF TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 18

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Queen of Cups – “You need to give yourself time to heal, no matter how long that ends up being.”  When scheduling your time off, do the self-kindness of making sure to give yourself a bit of extra time.  An extra thirty minutes at the coffee shop, an extra half hour early to bed or late to rise… an extra few days tacked on to the time off over Christmas.  Don’t cut it short out of the sense of responsibility you use to beat yourself into submission whenever you are tempted to “act out of line”.   Do something different and let yourself have that bit of extra time instead.

DECK USED: CHRISTMAS TALE TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

Winter Solstice 2023 – Yule

The Winter Solstice is coming up on December 21st! This holiday is (in essence) the Pagan equivalent to Christmas. Fun fact… when Christmas was placed on December 25th, the church chose that day to coincide with the pagan holiday of Yule (because as most know, Christ was actually born in the spring, not in December).

Although many of us have been feeling like we’ve been in it for months, the Winter Solstice is the “official” first day of winter, and marks  its spot on the calendar not by its date, but by being one of only two days each year where the daylight and darkness are equal.  In my path, this holiday marks a day of hope for the future, and candles are lit to celebrate the return of the sun as it begins to now become more and more prominent with each day that passes and every day becomes longer as the nights decrease.

yule

Like with new moons and full moons, I usually do a spread to check in with myself and give myself some direction for the next couple of months for each solstice, equinox, and other Sabbats. This spread is an adaptation of my Self Care Saturday spread, so there are some similarities in how it is read. The focus of this spread, though, is not about Self Care, but rather about progress and my path. The time period is also longer, reaching through the next handful of weeks until the celebration of upcoming Imbolc at the beginning of February.

Winter Solstice Oracle Reading with the Seasons of the Witch Yule Oracle

As the Sun is reborn, what is being illuminated for me on the darkest day of the year?

Offerings – A realignment of values is asking you to spend some time examining your intentions and goals.  Having a clear focus and a path forward doesn’t happen automatically, it happens when transition is in play and you take the time to pin down where to go next.

What do I need to release and surrender to the Sun’s Fire?

Gatherings – Social obligations, especially those that feel like obligations, need to be set aside. If your social obligations are fun, or feel good?  That’s great!  But if they feel like a chore, it’s time to let those feelings of obligations, and the activities that come with those feelings, go.

With light beginning to return, what intentions should I set?

Mother Mary – Self care needs to be at the top of your priority right now.  Give yourself the care and understanding that you have been withholding over the past few months.  Now that the holiday rush is drawing to a close, it’s time to start plotting out how to incorporate self care back into your daily life again.

How can I hold space for the light to spread & strengthen my intentions?

Falling in Love – Spend time with Gideon and getting back the balance or rightness, comfort, and security that he contributes to your life.

What will manifest from my Winter Solstice intentions?

Gratitude – More and more to be grateful for is on the horizon. Reconnect with appreciating the little things as well as the big ones.

Message from the Sun.

Self-Care – You can’t care for others and effectively reach for your goals if you aren’t caring for yourself. Your cup is currently empty.  Take the time and set the intentions needed to help yourself refill.

Message from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Merriment – Savor the holidays and every day. Find things to cherish and enjoy on a daily basis.

DECKS USED: SEASONS OF THE WITCH YULE ORACLE

Tarotholics Challenge Dec Spread 3

#DiscordTarotholicsDec2023 Challenge Spread 3

Tarotholics Yuletide Oracle Reading with the Holiday Magic Oracle

Thistle – Mental Health / Wards – How can I ward off the blues that try to encroach as the holidays draw to a close?

Humble Beginning – You have not had a chance all holiday season to really enjoy the spirit of the holidays, the wonder of the beautiful decorations, etc. Now is the time to focus on the little things and enjoy them while you can. Some time outside also wouldn’t be remiss.

Garnet – Purification / Balance – How can I purify myself to help find a better balance for the new year ahead?

Graceful Moves – Let go of the jagged edges and rushed moments of holiday stress. The holiday rush amps you up, but as the new year approaches it’s time to let go of that energy and seek something filled with more calm and grace.

Yew – Rebirth / Protection – What practices need resurrected in my life to protect my personal well-being?

True Colors – It’s time to start listening to your needs again and putting yourself first. During the holiday rush, you are so focused on your business and what needs to be done self-care slides onto the back burner. It’s time to bring yourself and your needs back up the ladder of importance.

Diamond – Fearlessness / Imagination – How can my imagination foster more fearlessness in my life?

Being Guided – Your creativity and imagination guides you towards a lighter mindset and happier sense of being. Tap into that creativity and let it guide you towards the happiness and help you in fostering your efforts to use optimism and positivity to combat your depression and negative tendencies.

Holly – Fertility / Longevity – How can I create longevity in the fertile soil of my new endeavors?

Beacon of Hope – Make sure you are not listening to the nay-saying of your negative inner narrative. It’s through hope and forward, thinking that you find growth and success.

Emerald – Hearth & Home / Loyalty – How can a closer connection to hearth & home affect my sense of loyalty?

Authentic Voice – Connecting closely with others draws them closer to you and builds a sense of trust and loyalty between all those involved. That means that when you take the time to spend with those closest to you, in return that loyalty between you and them becomes stronger.

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

Relaxing Retreat – Take breaks when you need them, and even when you don’t think you do. Wearing yourself down clouds your judgment and clarity. Giving yourself the rest you need allows you to both boost your mental clarity as well as stimulate your enthusiasm.

DECK USED: HOLIDAY MAGIC ORACLE

Finding the Positive for December 13 – 15

These Card of the Day readings are a mental health exercise (suggested by my shrink) used to help counterbalance my natural tendency toward pessimism, negative inner narratives, and depression. The request posed to the cards is, “A positive message to carry with me throughout my day and foster perspective.”

Finding the positive with the Christmas Tarot Major Arcana Deck, Christmas Tarot, Yuletide Tarot, and Christmas Affirmation Cards

December 13

Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Star – “Your speed doesn’t matter, forward is forward.” Faith bolsters us. Whether we are believing in ourselves, in the universe, or just -hoping- against all odds that things will change. It’s the carrot that pulls us forward even when we are struggling the most.

Today’s card is a reminder not to lose sight of that carrot.  You may have to move slowly and it may not -feel- like you are moving at all… but as long as you keep a glimmer of faith/hope in your heart, you’re still moving forward which means the potential for change and something better ahead is there.

DECK USED: CHRISTMAS TAROT MAJOR ARCANA DECK AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 14

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the Daily Calm sessions from the Calm app.

Three of Cups – “Depression Lies. There is no circumstance that is unchangeable. There is no situation that’s ever hopeless.”  Don’t allow the whispers of depression and negativity in your head to convince you that you are all alone. You are not alone.  That lie is depression trying to close you off from others so that it can eat you alive from the inside.  Seek out your friends and loved ones and allow them to help keep the darkness at a bit more of a distance. You don’t have to do this alone, and those closest to you have the potential to help lift you up and distract you from depression’s call if you let them.

DECK USED: THE CHRISTMAS TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS

December 15

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Nine of Pentacles – “You are NOT unworthy. You deserve peaceful days.”  Take some time today to sit back and look at how very fortunate you are, and how far you have come. You have built a life for yourself and accomplished much.  It’s okay to take some time to really appreciate and enjoy these things,  instead of always looking ahead and striving for more.

DECK USED: YULETIDE TAROT AND CHRISTMAS AFFIRMATION CARDS