Second Harvest 2024 – Autumn Equinox

Today is the Autumn Equinox.  This is considered by many to be the first day of Autumn, and is one of only two moments in the year when the sun is exactly above the Equator, and that day and night are of equal length.  Like Halloween is a time when the veil between the land of the living and the realm of the dead is thin, this holiday (as well as its cross-point in the spring) are times when the veil between our world and that of the Fae is at is thinnest… and it is when I personally experience more interactions with them than any other time of year.

rosehips

In my path, the Autumn Equinox is also known as the Second Harvest (also called Mabon), and is a day that marks the transition of the growing season into full harvest.  After this day, the darkness of night begins to overtake the sun’s reign in the sky as the days continue to grow shorter and shorter, and the nights longer and longer.  The earth is winding down its abundant generosity and beginning to close up shop for the year.

Autumn Equinox Tarot Reading with the Orenda TarotAmber – Where do I need to work on my emotions to create more balance in my life?

The Empress – Being nurturing takes kindness. You’ve got the disciplinarian side of things down pat, but your skills at nurturing kindness is in need of some work… especially when directed at yourself.

Cedar – How can I use my present day fortitude to strengthen my future protection?

Six of Cups– Retain what you learn today to help you in picking and choosing your battles down the road. Not everything needs or deserves your attention, and the information on discerning which things do and which don’t need that attention and energy lie in what’s happening in the present. Pay attention.  Gather information for later.

Marigold – Where should I focus on my health in order to develop a happier outlook?

Nine of Pentacles – Instead of focusing on what hasn’t gone your way, focus on what has. Where do your successes lie concerning your physical health? Take time to appreciate these things instead of discounting them as inconsequential. Give yourself some credit.

Walnut – How can I be more discerning in picking positive friendships?

Ace of Wands – Watch your enthusiasm and make sure it isn’t getting out of control. When things feel new, there’s a lot of “extra” emotion and excitement involved, this is true whether it’s friendships or anything else that’s new in your life.  Just make sure you’re not so enthusiastic that it’s blinding you to new people’s faults and flaws.

Sapphire – How can I discern between logical thought and true wisdom?

Seven of Swords atop Six of Swords – Logical thought has no direction but is about gathering knowledge and using it. True wisdom, on the other hand, encourages forward movement toward something better. (Ie: A better you, something better for you/ somewhere better than where you are, etc.)

Yarrow – How can I move from a place of trauma into a place of healing?

King of Pentacles – Focus on how your stability supports both yourself and others. Your past trauma is all about instability.  Instead of constantly striving for more and more of what you already have, take time to really look at that stable foundation that you’ve already built.  There are places where you can improve upon what you already have without gathering more and more in the process.

DECK USED: ORENDA TAROT

🌕 Full Moon & Lunar Eclipse in Pisces – September 2024

Tonight is the full moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @lightningwildflower.

Full Moon in Pisces Oracle Reading with the Between Worlds Oracle

What lessons are you being asked to learn?

Valley of Annihilation – How to let go of the past. You are being asked to learn how to set it down, walk away, and let it be finished. You have a tendency to try and carry the past forward with you instead of learning from it, setting it aside, and moving on.

What will help you be more in tune with your intuition?

Rage – Acknowledging your anger, affront, and pain will help you in becoming more in tune with your intuition. Make efforts to connect with your moments of anger and disquietude, rather than trying to bury it, hide it, or hold onto it. Sometimes anger is of no use, and doesn’t need to be put to use, just acknowledged and released.

What is being illuminated through your dreams?

Humility – You are being shown through your dreams how much you still don’t know and have yet to learn. This is a reminder to stay open to new ideas, new experiences, and new perspectives.

How can you find greater meaning in your life?

Creativity – Continue to explore your creativity and indulging your curiosity. Indulging in these pursuits opens you up to greater meaning and greater possibilities in life. You thrive in creative spaces, and it’s important to not let that part of yourself dwindle or starve.

Full Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Community – Don’t forget that you are not alone. You have the care, love, and support of others not just emotionally, but also on a very practical and physical level as well. Make sure you are not ignoring or diminishing their offers to help.

DECK USED: BETWEEN WORLDS ORACLE

🌑 New Moon in Virgo – September 2024

Tonight is the new moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @Ethony.

New Moon in Virgo Oracle Reading with the Healing Heart Oracle

Where should I focus my energy this season?

Co-Creative Heart – Look for opportunities to involve others in your work, whether that is having them help you with whatever you are working on or teaching them new creative skills that can help you out along the way.

What needs re-evaluation?

Trusting Heart – You are trusting another to have your best interest at heart way too much. Instead of just blindly allowing this other to lead you, use your intuition to guide yourself in these situations.

What is just a distraction that I need to ignore?

Trapped Heart – Make sure you don’t get so wrapped up in feelings of restlessness that you end up taking unnecessary chances with your safety.

Where do I need to get more organized?

Curious Heart – Make sure that you are planning ahead when you decide to go off on an adventure. Combined with previous card in this reading, this is a reminder that due to safety issues that have come up in the past you aren’t always particularly safe when you’re out alone, and thus need to bring someone with you instead of just going off on your own on a whim.

What project would benefit from my full attention?

Rebellious Heart – This answer is an echo back to the second card in this reading. It encourages making sure that others are not being allowed to make decisions for you, and that you’re not yielding just to make things easier for yourself and/or others.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Unavailable Heart – Stop trying to avoid triggers and trauma reactions. You need to instead acknowledge them, and work on healing these things, so that they are no longer an issue.

DECK USED: HEALING HEART ORACLE

🌕 Full Moon in Aquarius – August 2024

Today is the full moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @Lionharts #theaugusttarot.

Full Moon in Aquarius Tarot Reading with the Little Bird Tarot and Animal Spirits of the Sacred Isles Oracle

How can I embrace my inner rebel during this Full Moon?

The High Priestess and Toad – Don’t allow irritation pull you off your intuition’s voice.  You need to listen to that inner knowing and do what -you- know is right rather than allowing others to badger, bug, or otherwise harass you into taking a path you know in your gut is not right for you.

What steps can I take to break free from restrictive patterns?

Eight of Cups and Snake – When something doesn’t feel right, don’t stick around just because others expect you to or you expect yourself to bear it out. Instead, look for those toxic things in your life, and as they come to your attention get rid of them… even when those might actually be people.

What change is necessary to pave a new path that aligns with me?

Eight of Swords and Salmon – You need to open your eyes and start working on seeing your environment with more clarity, rather than hiding from the harmful things that are right in front of you that you are choosing to willfully ignore.

Full Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

The Star and Mouse – Make sure you are leaning into positivity and optimism, so that the threat of depression stays in the background instead of coming to the fore.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Soothing Energies and Calm during Transitions
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Ceramic Pine Tips Impression for Protection
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Picture Jasper for a Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
Hand Crafted Goat as sympathetic representation of Amalthea

DECK USED: LITTLE BIRD TAROT AND ANIMAL SPIRITS OF THE SACRED ISLES ORACLE

🌑 New Moon in Leo – August 2024

The new moon is upon us!  Like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @Lionharts #theaugusttarot.

New Moon in Leo Tarot Reading with the Tarot of the Forest Witch

What heart’s desire should I manifest during this New Moon?

Wheel of Fortune atop Justice – Spin the wheel on cause-and-effect and take a chance that the consequences you predict coming to pass won’t actually be the result. You don’t have to play things so safe and close to the vest all the time.

What intentions should I set under the New Moon in Leo?

Chariot – It’s time to start moving again. The languishing and dawdling about has been a nice respite and needed rest, but to grow and thrive you also need to lean in to hard work in order to steer things in the direction you want them to go.

How can I align my actions with my hearts true desires?

Judgment – Remember where you are going and who you want to have become when you get there. Regrets don’t always come from doing something against your nature, but sometimes in standing back and not doing something that down the line you’ll wish you had.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Temperance – Just because it’s time to start moving again doesn’t mean it’s time to rush or push yourself. Small steps.

Other elements included in this reading:
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Citrine for for Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
Hand Crafted Goat as sympathetic representation of Amalthea

DECK USED: TAROT OF A FOREST WITCH

First Harvest 2024 – Lammas/Lugh

Today is Lammas, which is known as the First Harvest of the year. This day marks the transition into the harvest season of August, September, and October (of which there is a Second Harvest and Last Harvest that correspond to these months).

Tarotholics Harvest Challenge Spreads

This holiday is often referred to as Lammas, Lughnasadh, or Lugh, although I usually just refer to it as the First Harvest. On my path, it celebrates the beginning of Summer’s decline and ramping up of the busy season where we begin to reap in the abundance that the bounty of summer’s energies has encouraged to grow and flourish. It is a time filled with a combination of abundance, hard work, and gratitude.

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. Unfortunately, I was unable to do my normal Sabbat reading this month, so I am combining the harvest spreads from this month’s Discord Tarot Challenge instead.

First Harvest Oracle Reading with the Seasons of the Witch Lammas Oracle

Seeds Sown – What seeds for my physical health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?

Welcoming the Harvest – You have gotten back on track with your eating schedule, ensuring no hypoglycemic episodes and helping in staying off the irrational scarcity feelings that start to crop up in all areas of life when you start trying to cut back on food intake.

The Chaff – What seeds for my physical health & growth have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?

Harvest Basket – You are still struggling to carry too much on your shoulders. In order to continue with healthy physical progress in areas where you are thriving, you need to work on letting go of taking on too much on your own.

The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my physical health & growth in the Fall?

Craftsmanship – Work on honing your craft and toughening up your hands and forearms for the overwork that will come as the holiday season comes into focus. Build up that strength and endurance now so you won’t be injured later.

Seeds Sown – What seeds for my mental health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?

Fennel – You have been working on fretting less and trusting that you will get through obstacles instead of decimated by them. With your emotions in play (as you try not to bury them and ignore them), it’s difficult to not be affected more intensely by setbacks and hurdles. You are doing well at learning how to not let your anxiety spiral in these instances, and instead focusing on solution based thoughts and plans.

The Chaff – What seeds for my mental health & growth  have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?

Coneflower – You don’t need any more independence than you already have. Quit trying to scrape up more. You need to instead focus on allowing others in and asking for help, even in times when you feel you don’t need to.

The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my mental health & growth in the Fall?

Rooster and Hens – Get out in nature and enjoy time outside among the trees, exploring new trails and old alike. Revisit the joy that noticing natures little changes from one day to the next gives you. These excursions help create clarity of mind, and revitalize you both in mind and body.

Seeds Sown – What seeds for my emotional health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?

Citrine – The confidence you have gained over the past few months is of the gentle and uplifting sort. You are discovering that confidence in others and your connection to them is just as important as independence and having confidence in yourself.

The Chaff – What seeds for my emotional health & growth  have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?

Garden Tools – You are not on your own and (yet again in this reading) you are being reminded that independence doesn’t mean you have to cut yourself off from others. That right there is the line where independence becomes unhealthy.

The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive healthy harvest for my emotional health & growth in the Fall?

Vegetable Garden – Touch base with yourself and your progress. Make sure that those seeds that need to flourish are doing so and thriving, and that the weeds of unhealthy thoughts and old habits that could choke them out are being pulled and discarded.

DECKS USED: SEASONS OF THE WITCH LAMMAS ORACLE