Morning Bonus Read – Difficulties

Difficulties Tarot Spread - The Lunatic Tarot

What is difficult right now?
Ace of Wands

Keeping my motivation up and running when there’s so much to do and so little time.  It becomes frustrating to feel continuously like you’re falling behind only to have a moment of “Oh, I’m caught up” show up now and then for a moment long enough to get one deep breath before the race continues.

What can I learn from this struggle?
Judgement

Sometimes it makes me feel like I want to just set it all aside and walk away, and then I remember why I’m doing all this and it helps me stay the course. It’s about independence, and being able to live my life on my terms how I want to live.

What will help me move through it?
Knight of Wands atop Seven of Swords

Strategy and cunning carried forward on my desires for what I want to accomplish.  This is about determination and willpower, and the clever cunning to find a way to do it no matter what.  My skill at making sure I come out on top, even while being carried through the most violent of rapids, is what will help me move through this time of lack of motivation and struggle with my inspirational spark.

What do I have to look forward to?
Four of Cups

Soon enough you’ll have time to rest and recover and meditate and enjoy all that off time again that you were struggling to get used to in the summer.  And… you’ll probably struggle with again when the opportunity returns.

DECK USED:  THE LUNATIC TAROT

Realistic Boundary Setting

I’m still in the process of catching up… and I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 25th or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Tarot of the Little Prince - Nine of WandsToday’s draw is the Nine of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of setting boundaries and resilience in the face of adversity.

The snake is what stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today.  That and the staff that the young man holds.  The staff is not really a use against a snake in most cases, and the ability to set boundaries with a staff planted in the earth… against a snake?  Is impossible.

The message today is about realism.  It’s about making sure that you set realistic boundaries and expectations for yourself so that you aren’t setting yourself up for failure.  The limitations and boundaries you put in place for yourself and others need to be manageable for both parties involved, or they just won’t work.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

LionHart’s As Above So Below Challenge Prompt
Saturn Question
: What {personal} boundaries should I work on, honor, respect, or acknowledge right now?

Multi-Stabber Tarot

What Boundaries Should I Work On – The Wheel – It can be difficult to keep calm and carry on when the world’s going nuts and chaos is knocking on the door. Setting boundaries that keep the chaos at bay so that it doesn’t mess with your mind and emotions is important, and is something I need to work on.

What Boundaries Should I Honor – Seven of Pentacles – Sustainable progress takes time.  Sometimes I get too damned impatient and I try to push when I shouldn’t.  It’s important to make sure I’m honoring the process, and the time things take to turn out just right.  Not everything can be done in an hour or a day… or even a year. 

What Boundaries Should I Respect – Nine of Swords – Allowing my  inner narrative to turn dark and vicious does no one any good and especially not myself.  I need to respect the boundaries I have put in place to help me keep that negative inner voice at bay.

What Boundaries Should I Acknowledge – Knight of Pentacles – What I want is important, and the needs that drive me forward are too.  The fact that I am constantly so focused on security and stability is not a bad thing and instead of spending time making excuses for it, embrace that this is what you need.  Moving slow doesn’t mean you’re not moving.

DECK USED:  MULTI-STABBER TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question
: Can a person without hope live a full and happy life?

Marigold TarotReading Summary: Fighting for what you desire (Five of Wands) and taking rather than earning it (Seven of Swords) because you have the skills to do so (The Magician).

Take Away: Yes. By sinking into baser pleasures and embracing hedonism and pleasures of the moment over thoughts of the future.  When someone truly lives in the moment and weighs one’s personal pleasures and desires over everything else in life, they can feel as if they are living a full and complete life even without hope… as there is no looking forward to the future and thus no need for hope.  Only a wallowing in the present moment, one moment at a time.

DECK USED:  MARIGOLD TAROT

Heal & Transform November Challenge Prompt
Question
: What personal gifts does the Universe need me to share?

Sweeney Tarot

Reading Summary: Comfort the hurting (imagery in the Ten of Cups) while encouraging hope (imagery in the Ace of Cups) and independence (imagery in the Six of Swords).

There is color flow here between the forehead in the first card flowing green into the center card, and the angle of the arm in the center card connecting to the flow of the tree combined with color flow to blue in the third card.  This connects these three cards into a chronological flow.

Take Away:  It’s nice to hear when you’re on the right track. To know that when I connect with people and help them in finding a path that is uniquely theirs, that in doing so it’s more than just something that feels good to me but a calling.  And that, too, feels right.   Like… a stone placed in a stream to redirect the flow of water just so.

DECK USED:  SWEENEY TAROT

Positive Memories

I’ve managed to fall behind yet again… and I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 24th or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Traditional Manga Tarot - Six of CupsToday’s draw is the Six of Cups, which traditionally is a representation of the emotions that circle around topics of nostalgia and looking back into the past and embracing the joy and innocence that often comes with childhood memories and remembering past relationships.

What really stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is how much gold there is in the picture.  A golden glow seems to enshroud the entire scene, casting it alight in warm hues.

The message her is a reminder to keep your attention focused on the positive when you take a wander down memory lane.  Don’t allow yourself to stray off the path into the dark woods, but rather stay in that golden glow of warmth and positivity.

DECK USED:  TRADITIONAL MANGA TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question
: Advice I need to hear at this time concerning my personal growth.

Edmund Dulac TarotReading Summary:  You’re going to pay for it (Justice) if you don’t allow yourself some rest (Four of Coins) and keep striving for a positive perspective during this busy time (The Star).  It won’t last forever (Eight of Cups).

Take Away: The holiday rush is a really difficult time for me on a number of different levels.  The reminder here that it doesn’t last forever is a good one, but doesn’t excuse not getting enough rest or allowing yourself to fall into those darker negative inner dialogues that can often drag you down.  Personal upkeep, but on a physical level and an emotional one are no less important now than any other time of year, just harder to fit in for a brief amount of time.

DECK USED:  EDMUND DULAC TAROT

Find The Boon

I’ve managed to fall behind yet again… and I can’t remember whether I meditated on the 23rd or not. So I’ll leave this empty this time around as I finish up these posts that got started… but never published on the blog.

Tarot of the Little Prince - StrengthToday’s draw is the Strength card, which traditionally is more about inner strength than physical strength, and is a representation of persuasion and influence, an inner core of compassion, and the ability to bend others to one’s will.

What stood out to me in this card today is the expressions on the faces of both the boy and the fox. The holiday rush is in full swing and the message here is that even though it’s going to be a hard and busy day, it’s important to make sure that I’m finding some joy in it as well.

Don’t sink so deep into the work that you turn into a robot.  Breathe deep and find the pleasure.  The comfort.  And the joy in what you do.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Question
: Pick a topic and pull a card for… Tomorrow / Next Week / Next Month
Topic: My financial health…

Mary El Tarot 1st EditionTomorrow – Death – In the present, my finances are in the process of going through a natural shift.  This is not news, as with the holiday rush upon me, the money is flowing in freely and (sometimes) feels like it’s sifting through my fingers like sand as I spend on postage and supplies almost as quickly as the money comes in.

Next Week – King of Cups – In the week ahead, you will find that you will come to a place of ease and security.  Knowing that the money is there, knowing that bills are being paid and things are going well will give you an emotional boost and confidence.

Next Month – Five of Wands – By this time next month, you will be struggling with the slow down from the holiday rush.  Anxiety over the drop off of sales is natural, as is the struggle to push it forward and keep it going. Inner conflict and the need to push will be burning wild in your chest, conflicting with the slowdown and need to back off and ease up.

DECK USED:  MARY EL TAROT 1ST EDITION

Positive Transformations

IMG_7893Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretches.  The thing is, though?  I have no idea what the guided part of the meditation was about.

I mean, I was listening I think… and part of the reason I save the little graphics that come with my meditation is so that it can prompt my memory of the guided topic.   And yet…. even the graphic doesn’t prompt up a memory of the meditation’s topic really.  Not even a vague memory remains.  Maybe I was deeper into my meditation than I thought?

I suppose that the important part is that I actually did the meditation at all, though.  Which I did.  So… yeah.

Traditional Manga Tarot - Ace of WandsToday’s draw is the Ace of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s drive, inspiration, motivation, and inner spark.  This often translates into themes that have to do with new passion projects, sparks of curiosity, and things that strike your interest and kindle an inspired passion within you.

What really stands out to me in the imagery of this card today is the dress that the woman wears in the image.  She looks like she’s draped in malachite and surrounded in crazy lace agate.

Malachite holds within it the energy of transformation to ease struggles and foster insight.  Crazy lace agate is a stone used to foster and flourish joy in one’s life. This feels like a good omen, and I’m going to take it as such.

The message here today is to continue to transform those negative inner dialogues into positivity and optimism.

DECK USED:  TRADITIONAL MANGA TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsNov2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: Do Spread #2
Question: I am struggling with incorporating self care into my day. What advice do I need to hear right now that will help me with this struggle over the next few weeks?

Dark Wood TarotReading Summary: Have patience (Temperance), because change takes time (Death). And it can hurt (white is you, red is change) so be prepared for that.

There are connections here in the colors that reinforce the message at hand.  In the Death card, the staff that death holds relates to the hair of the woman in the Five of Swords, and the gown the angel wears relates to the dress of the caught woman in the Five of Swords.

Connecting the figures in the imagery in this way,  you can see that the red haired woman (connected through color to Death/Change) is inflicting pain upon the caught woman in the Five of Swords card (who is reflected in the angel in the Death card drained of color).

Take Away: These cards are a reminder that it’s okay to miss self care now and then, because the effort to find balance after the changes made in my life (both by me in my effort to find better balance, and by the holiday rush) are going to cause a bit of imbalance and that imbalance naturally involves dropping the ball now and then.  And honestly?  Better to drop the ball just a bit on self care than on the business you’re trying to run during the holiday rush.  Thus…. it’s gonna hurt a bit because growing pains suck.  Instead of being hard on yourself, be kind and forgiving in those moments you slip up.

DECK USED:  DARK WOOD TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: When have I felt emotionally rich?

Golden Tarot by Kat Black

Reading Summary: This summer when I was resting (Four of Swords) after having experienced burnout (Ten of Wands), and was spending time ignoring much of the stressful crap (Eight of Swords).

Take Away:  The cards here are referring to the time off that I allowed myself each month over the summer. I’ve never really taken time off before, not even when going to my mother’s or out east.  I mean… yeah, I did… but not really.   What I found from that time is that when I’m able to step away from my responsibilities for a few days and breath, I find myself not just rejuvenated inside and out, but when I’m able to step away from the guilt of not working I’m also then able to focus on other things I enjoy as well…. and that I really like that.

DECK USED:  GOLDEN TAROT BY KAT BLACK

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?

Druidcraft Tarot, Druid Animal Oracle, Druid Plant Oracle, Animal Spirits Knowledge Cards

Earth – The Fferyllt (Temperance) and Horse – Not a time of pause or stillness, but a time of peace and motion.  There is a difference.  This week is a time of gathering when the energies of home and hearth, finance and resources are swirling within and around each other and building. Make sure that you ride this energy by gathering up what needs to be stocked up on, and preparing what needs prepared.

Air – Nine of Cups and Meadowsweet – Focus on the good stuff this week and let that negative inner dialogue fade back into the background until it is less than a whisper. You don’t have time for that nonsense right now, and there’s too much going right at the moment to worry about it. You are feeling good, and good things are coming your way this week. Be sure to appreciate it to the fullest.

Water – Two of Pentacles and Wolf – This week will bring a little discomfort as you work at keeping that balance and sustaining room for your emotions to have a place in the holiday rush process. This is a learning process, and that discomfort is natural.  Don’t wall off just because it feels different or uncomfortable. Instead, stay open to the lessons that need to be learned.

Fire – Prince of Pentacles and Hare – Even through moments of fear you have slowly plodded forward toward the goals you wish to reach. Now is a fast paced time of year, but that doesn’t mean that you have to allow your heart to race or push your plans forward any faster than you want to.  Allow your intuition to guide your direction.  And remember… filling orders quickly doesn’t mean everything else has to speed up too.

Waning – Fox – Set aside strategizing for the week ahead and instead use this time to try settle into the new rhythms that you’ll be working with for the next few weeks. Now is not the time to plot and plan but rather to adjust and adapt.

Waxing – Frog – Abundance is coming and it’s coming fast and hard.  One of the themes of the frog is fecundity and the appearance of the frog in this position is an indication of encouragement and a continued ramping up of creative endeavors, sales, and business over the next week.

Take Away –  Things are getting busy and it’s time to let go of some of the more administrative and strategic tasks of running a business to dive headlong into the creative process and production aspects. You’ve begun to feel the energy and rhythm of the busy season, and it’s natural to ride that wave.  Just don’t lose track along the way of the balance you’ve managed to achieve.  Don’t forsake your emotions or your self care, and be sure that you are turning your mind and attention towards positive themes and optimistic views.

DECKS USED:   DRUIDCRAFT TAROT, DRUID ANIMAL ORACLE, DRUID PLANT ORACLE, ANIMAL SPIRITS KNOWLEDGE CARDS