tarot reading

Try, and Try Again

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Today’s meditation was skipped because it’s an orders day and, honestly? It’s too fucking hot and miserable.

Hexen 2.0 Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is The Magician, which is traditionally a representation of having all the tools and skills needed to achieve your goals.  The card is about resourcefulness to manifest the results that you want and being inspired to carry things through to fruition.

Sometimes when we’re working towards a goal we can feel like we just don’t have everything together (or can’t manage to get it together) and the endeavor is therefore going to fail.

And the thing is?  No matter how prepared we are?  Sometimes that’s going to happen.

The key is to take that failure and remember that we’re still here.  We can still try again, and adjust our approach to give us a better chance of succeeding.

As long as we’re still here?  There’s always room for learning and improvement.  There’s always room to try again for the things you really want, and each failed try will only make the next effort that much better than the one before it.

DECK USED:  HEXEN 2.0 TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I improve upon my self care?

Wilderness Collide OracleReading Summary: Meditate (Crystal Visions atop Cosmic Journey). You are holding yourself back (Rising) in more ways than one (Expanse) by avoiding your meditation practice.

Take Away:  I often meditate with crystals, which is how “Crystal Visions” comes into play in the meditation aspect.  The thing is?  I don’t know why I keep avoiding my practice, but I’m self aware enough to know that no amount of excuses can conceal the fact that that’s exactly what I’m doing. 

The cards here are right, though.  I need to get back to it.  It’s beneficial on so many levels and avoiding it is holding me back not just in my health and well-being, but also in my growth.

DECK USED:  WILDERNESS COLLIDE ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About differences…
Question: How can I resolve differences between myself and others with less anxiety?

Hexen 2.0 TarotReading Summary: Spend less energy worrying (Nine of Swords Rx) over if things might turn out badly (Three of Swords Rx), more authority and sharing of inspirational perspectives. Be passionate and innovative, and use that energy to inspire others to your way of thinking (King of Wands).

Take Away: So… this reading was about a little anxiety riddled character conversation the other day in the literary roleplay/writing realm that Gideon and I are in.  Sometimes, with some people, I feel like I’m walking on glass as I fulfill my leadership responsibilities.  It just goes that way, you know?  Things that should be a discussion feel like a confrontation and a direct challenge rather than having a chat.

So, yeah.   The advice here is to worry less about the whole “blowing up in your face” aspect of communication with these type of people, and instead turn the tables and draw them in with ideas and enthusiasm.

DECK USED:  HEXEN 2.0 TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took a nap on orders day.  It was a combination of having a full stomach and the heat.  I just got so tired that I didn’t have a choice in the matter so I let myself lay down for a couple hours.

Owning Self Truths

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Today’s meditation was sort of done and sort of not?  I lounged in a cool bath for a bit early on in the day and did some breathing exercises while I was in there, but I also dozed off.  So… sort of meditation but not really?  Still, it was amazing and very relaxing.

Bonds Across Time: An Inuyasha Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is the Emperor card, which is traditionally a representation of leadership and authority combined with a dominant energy and a “greater good” mentality. It is a card that represents responsibility, and the strength that it takes to shoulder the responsibility and ownership that comes with leading.

Sometimes, what we need to take ownership of isn’t others or leading others, but rather how we treat ourselves.  This is also a part of leadership, for without self awareness and control over ourselves, leading others never goes as smoothly or as well as it otherwise could.

Today’s affirmation card combined with the Emperor speaks of this responsibility toward ourselves. It’s a reminder that it’s not just others that need our kindness and understanding, but that we should treat ourselves with that same kindness.  Stress can make anyone short tempered, but don’t turn that negativity inward.  Instead, straighten your spine, look at what’s truly going on, own it, and then deal with it.

DECK USED:  BONDS ACROSS TIME INUYASHA TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: What inspires/heals me?

Whispers of the Ocean Oracle and Salt + Sea Energy OracleWhat inspires me?
Push to Surface, Pearl, Mermaid

Stagnancy is the cause of inspiration’s death.  To foster your inspiration and awaken it, sometimes you have to take stock of where in your life you are feeling still and stagnant, and look at these things with honest eyes.  Only the can you begin to change what’s holding you back and, in doing so, allow your inspiration to once more rise to the surface.

What heals me?
Sandcastle and Persistent Drive

Acknowledging that struggle and strive is only temporary and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel allows you to find focus on the way out instead of feeling stuck.  Like with depression, it’s when you accept that the depression is only temporary that you give yourself an exit to focus on and work towards.

DECK USED:  WHISPERS OF THE OCEAN ORACLE AND SALT + SEA ENERGY ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: I always feel like I’m struggling, even when I’m trying to relax. How can I more easily let go and go with the flow in my self-care and growth?

Bonds Across Time: An Inuyasha TarotReading Summary: Ground and steady your footing (Four of Jewels) instead of running away (Six of Swords Rx), accept and acknowledge that transformation is painful and takes time (Ten of Swords).

Take Away: The message here in these cards indicates that I’m not doing anything wrong other than being impatient about moving forward.  It’s not like running on floats in the water, where you have to keep going or you’ll lose your balance and fall into the water.  Instead, you need to focus on finding a grounded and steady stance.  Allow the changes to move at their own pace and be patient.  Wait. Breathe.  And let the changes flow around you like water flows around a stone in a stream, slowly smoothing out rough edges over time while the stone is always steadily rooted in place.

DECK USED:  BONDS ACROSS TIME INUYASHA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I mentioned this above, but I spent a good two hours soaking in a nice cool bath today.  Sort of like chillin’ in a kiddy pool… but in the tub.  It was nice.  I had rubber duckies and music, and it was very relaxing.

Mindfulness as a Tool

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I just wanted to lounge instead.  I did take time to relax under the ceiling fan and do my piriformis stretches, though.  I just didn’t do the meditation part of things.

Spiritsong Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation CardsToday’s draw is The Magician, which is traditionally a representation of resourcefulness and having all the tools needed to accomplish one’s goals.  He is, in essence, “the man with all the tools” like that neighbor you always go to to borrow tools from because he always has just the right tool for the job.

The Raven, as features in this card, is certainly one of those characters in nature that fits that “all the tools” category. They are extremely intelligent, can learn to mimic human speech and singing, and can recognize and remember the faces of humans.  They are efficient and clever, and uniquely qualified for their own survival.

In combination with the affirmation card for today, what I see in the message of today’s cards is that even when we have all the tools needed to forge ahead?  Sometimes what we need to do is stay in the present and savor what we already have. Life isn’t always about advancement and gain. A part of learning to enjoy life to it’s fullest and having all the tools at our disposal to do so includes knowing how to be in the moment and enjoy the present.

DECK USED:  SPIRITSONG TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for June 26th and 27th

Spiritsong Tarot and Pure Magic OracleWhat is out of my control?
The Traveler and Closing Circle

Your path. Things move at their own pace. A healthy pace to take you where you need to be when you need to be there. Not everything on your path and where it leads is under your control. Sometimes you have to walk forward on blind faith that where you end up will be just where you need to be.

How can I cut through the noise and get to whats important?
Telekinesis and The Hanged Man

Be open but decisive. Listen to all perspectives, take them in one at a time, then cut loose what doesn’t work and see what’s left. You’re missing the cutting part of the equation, and without that part of the process, you just build up more and more to examine and sort through.  Get to the cutting already.

DECK USED:  PURE MAGIC ORACLE AND SPIRITSONG TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About coziness…
Question: What can I do to make things more cozy and comfortable during this horrendous heat wave?

Spiritsong TarotPage of Acorns (Monkey) – Stick close to home and explore all the little things that can build up a bit at a time. Each fan you can find to turn on, the closing of the blinds and curtains. Adding the reflective insulation to the west windows.  Each small bit of adjustment made in the home will help a little more.

Ten of Crystals (Alligator) – Spend some time in the bathtub. A cool soak can do wonders and is something you’ve done in the past to cool down.  Yes, the lotion and scar treatments afterwards are a pain in the ass, but it’s still worth it.  Fill the bathtub up like a kiddy pool and just take a bit of a dip now and then. It will help you feel a great deal better just to splash around in there a bit.

The Star (Swan) – Remember that it’s temporary. The heat wave isn’t going to last forever. It’s just a few days and there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Be patient, be safe, and keep your eye on the relief that’s just around the corner.

DECK USED:  SPIRITSONG TAROT

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Questions for June 26th and 27th

Flora Healing Oracle CardsWhat positive energy do I need to focus on?

Dianthus (Know Your Limits) – It’s important to make sure that you are setting safe and healthy boundaries and limits for yourself. The summer is supposed to be a time to catch your breath and rest.  Don’t allow yourself to get so overwhelmed that you’re not getting the rest that you need.

How can I better express my gratitude?

Sage (Cleanse) – Somehow, even with three of us in this house we just can’t seem to keep up on the cleaning.  I can’t really blame the girls, because I think they hate it just as much as I do. The thing is, though?  When the house is clean it just feels better.  So much better.  Maybe it’s time to start looking for a housekeeper again.  Life just feels so much better when the house is clean and dusted.

DECK USED:  FLORA HEALING ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I selfishly turned the AC to blow directly on me today.  It’s still hot enough that my skin is sticky and it just feels gross in here, but it would be so much worse without the AC.  Z and my sister have been taking turns chilling in the bedroom, which is a good deal cooler than the rest of the house.

Morning Bonus Read – Vision Check

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Use your preferred divination to ask the following questions. If you’re feeling extra, put the cards or tiles into a fun shape as you draw them.”

Jeu de 54 Cartes CarnavalsIn what areas of life is my vision clear?
Eight of Clubs and Eight of Hearts

I know what works for me and what doesn’t, and I’m not afraid to turn away from those things that don’t. My moral compass speaks from my gut and provides me the right path to tread upon.

This card brought about a realization for me that perhaps part of the struggle that I’ve been going through recently with letting go of a few old bad habits is that I’m not following my gut, but instead fighting against it.

In what areas of life is my vision blurry, blocked, or otherwise unclear?
King of Spades and King of Clubs

The desire and passion to steer my business in a certain direction is being blocked by a heavy dose of practicality and logic-based thinking. As much as I want to move things in that direction my brain keeps getting in the way of my creative spark and telling me that it’s not practical and I need to keep things the way that they are.

What factors, if any, are impacting my vision of things close to me?
Five of Spades and Six of Spades

Feeling conflicted about pushing forward along the same path that has always worked for me in the past and made I feel like I am a success. Or setting it aside and trying something else that may be better for me… but may also mean leaving behind the success I have achieved and starting over.

What factors, if any, are impacting my vision of things more distant from my present?

Four of Hearts – My view of the past is blocked by my feelings of the dejection, and a desire to have a stable emotional center that keeps me from looking at the turbulence of the past too closely.

Jack of Hearts – My view of the future is being impacted by my current emotional growth and desire to keep growing as I move forward.

DECK USED:  GRIMAUD’S JEU DE 54 CARTES CARNAVALS

Focus On The Present

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Today’s meditation was skipped (again) because today was my driving day, which means that after my shift at the farm I immediately hit the road to drive for about six hours.

Connolly Tarot and Less Anxiety Affirmation TarotToday’s draw is the Chariot card, which is traditionally a representation of willpower and drive set to a purpose, action, and direction.  It’s about seizing control over one’s actions, fate, and destiny.

Today’s cards are calling me out.

The thing is?  I am constantly trying to look ahead, constantly planning, scheming, strategizing, and directing how I want things to go. This control is habitual and some of it has to do with fear of losing control and things going off the rails.  The presence of the Chariot here is a reference to those tendencies.

Combined with the affirmation card for today, the message here is that I need to stop spending so much time trying to control the future, when it’s the present that really matters.

DECK USED:  CONNOLLY TAROT AND LESS ANXIETY AFFIRMATION CARDS

CoffeexTarot’s Self Love For The Summer Prompt
Question: What gives me clarity?

Secrets of the Mystic Grove OracleReading Summary: Being able to step outside my own perspectives and see things through the eyes of others (Seeing Differently), combined with my ability to ground myself through the earth and find comfort and peace in this process (Rhythms), allows me to see my fears and anxieties in a different light and give me a level of clarity and calm concerning things I would otherwise be blind to (Trust).

Take Away:  Sometimes fears make it impossible for us to see anything besides what we fear the most.  Anxiety narrows our focus and forces us into tunnel vision on those things that trigger us.  These cards indicate that during these times, I have the added benefit of being able to connect with the earth for calm and step out of myself to find perspective, and in doing so, I am able to find more clarity than I would be able to otherwise.

DECK USED:  SECRETS OF THE MYSTIC GROVE ORACLE

#DiscordTarotolicsJun2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: About dreams…
Question: how can I get a more restful sleep with less dreams getting in the way of that?

Connolly TarotReading Summary: If you didn’t worry so much and struggle so much (Five of Pentacles) with the new changes taking place (Ace of Cups), then you wouldn’t have so many dreams that involve imbalance and unresolved endings (Two of Pentacles).

Take Away: It’s the balance being askew and a lack of resolution in my dreams that makes me feel so unrested when I wake up. Issues with scarcity, combined with my worries over staying on this new path of self love and emotional growth, are spurring on the dreams in which I’m never quite able to find balance or resolution.

DECK USED:  CONNOLLY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had a really nice evening with Gideon, both sharing my haul from the post office as well as in beginning a bit of a date night in play.

Morning Bonus Read

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Anne of Green Gables Tarot - The MagicianJune 14 – Birth of the Muses
This card shows how our inspiration and creativity is manifesting.

The Magician – Naturally, with just a little push. Highs and lows are natural, but you have all that you need when you need it.  (Anne of Green Gables Tarot)

TV Series Tarot - Ten of SwordsJune 15 – Vestalia – An ancient Roman festival dedicated to Vesta, Goddess of the Hearth.
This card shows us our hearth, the fire at the center of our life and home, and how to tend it.

Ten of Swords – The belief that it is through the things in life that knock us to our knees that have the most profound effect on us and where we go from there. The belief that each pain is a growth spurt opportunity on our spiritual journey. A place where we fall, then pick ourselves up changed and move forward.  (TV Series Tarot)

David's Tarot - Two of WandsJune 16 – Night of Teardrop – Remembrance of the tears of Isis causing the Nile River to overflow.
This card shows what our emotions are telling us at this time.

Two of Wands Rx – struggling with direction and planning at the moment. You know where you want to go, but plotting a course is more of a struggle than expected. (David’s Tarot)

Vox Arcana Tarot - The HermitJune 17 – Goddess Juno – Celebrating the ancient Roman goddess for whom the month of June is named.
This card shows us an area of fertile growth in our lives.

The Hermit – Inner exploration and a better understanding of the self as a result.  (Vox Arcana Tarot)

Family Tarot - Knight of CupsJune 18 – Oak King – A dedication to the Oak King, who is now near the height of his power in his battle with the Holly King.
This card shows us our strength.

Knight of Cups – Going after what you need to be healthy and stable. It might take some time to get there sometimes, but you’re damn good at knowing what you need and not hesitating in moving that direction. Going at your own pace.  (Family Tarot)

Seawitch Tarot - Three of SwordsJune 19 – Scrying
In the tradition of scrying at the time of Midsummer, this card shows us a blessing to come.

Three of Swords – Disappointment is coming… But it’s going to be a blessing in disguise. Sometimes crappy shit happens in order to give you something better, so make sure you’re looking for the blessing even if your heart is hurting a bit at the time.  (Seawitch Tarot)

Botanica Tarot - Ten of Wands RxJune 20 – Summer Solstice
This card shows us how to shine our own light like the Sun.

Ten of Wands Rx – Stop overloading yourself so much with work, responsibilities, and obligations. You’ve been working on this, but you still have a long way to go.  (Botanica Tarot)

Dragon Tarot - Nine of SwordsJune 21 – Festival Strawberries
As the strawberries ripen, this card shows us the sweetness in our lives.

The Tower – sometimes when things fall apart it’s bittersweet and even painful. We try so hard to hold onto those things that are important to us during this time. But sometimes letting go is the only way, and when we do it opens us up to building something better sweeter than before.  (Playful Heart Tarot)

Playful Heart Tarot - The TowerJune 22 – Honey Moon
This card shows us how to release anxieties or worries, how to enjoy ourselves in this moment.

Four of Swords – Truly letting go and being able to enjoy the moment requires excepting that everyone needs time to rest and recover, even you. When you put your nose to the grind stone too often and for too long, you miss out on all the good stuff going on around you that you could be a part of.  (Vintage Flower Faeries Tarot)

Vintage Flower Fairies Tarot - Four of SwordsJune 23 – Saint John’s Eve
Like the herbs traditionally gathered on St John’s Eve, this card shows what protects or heals us.

Six of Cups (Buttercups) – Childish exuberance allows you to be lifted up out of the drag of depression and see the world in a lighter and more optimistic view. Don’t shut this out of your life for it not just heals you when you are struggling with that drag, but also protect you from it in the first place.  (Botanica Tarot)

Botanica Tarot - Six of CupsJune 24 – Guru Purnima – Indian festival of expressing gratitude to teachers.
This card reminds us to have gratitude for lessons and teachers as we move forward.

Nine of Swords – It is only through for confronting our demons that we learn how to deal with them and abolish them. Remember to show gratitude to those that help you in this quest.  (Dragon Tarot)

Connolly Tarot - Six of WandsJune 25 – Parvati Earth Mother
This card shows us how to ground ourselves and how to connect with the Earth’s abundance.

Six of Wands – Connect with the earth in the plants, and seek praise from them instead of from people. It is through your connection to the wild growing places that you will find your connection with the earth and her gifts, as well as that quiet still place of grounding within yourself.  (Connolly Tarot)