tarot self care

Snowflakes and Drummers

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and, as with yesterday, I again incorporated it into my yoga/physiotherapy.

I’m sort of wondering if the reason I don’t get as much out of the meditation practice done during my physio is because I am focused upon my body instead of upon a positive message.   The guided meditations, on the other hand, provide a focus for the meditation that is always positive in some way.

Seven of Swords - Spacious TarotToday’s draw is the Seven of Swords, although what I see in this card today is not the traditional meaning, but rather speaks of individuality.

Conformity is not really my thing. In this card, there is a clear message of conformity on the right, and a clear indication of non-conformity on the left.   What I see here in this depiction is that non-conformity “breaks the mold”.

I don’t think that’s a bad thing, though.  Yes, it shakes things up and can cause a few “Tower Moments” along the way, but in the end, it’s the non-conformists in the world that create diversity and add flavor to life. It’s okay to be different.

DECK USED:  SPACIOUS TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: What expectations about 2020 am I clinging to?

The Lost Forest Tarot

Reading Summary:  That I’m going to go after this new depths of emotions (Knight of Oceans) and find a clear path forward (Three of Fire) that will allow for growth and integration (Two of Skies).

Take Away:  That new depth of emotion from the fall is very intimidating to me, and I’ve had a hard time getting over my fear to make it through to exploring and working with them since the new year.  I’ve been stewing in that worry and the expectation that it should be easy for me.  It’s not a rational expectation, but there you have it.

DECK USED:  THE LOST FOREST TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can you bring more of what you want into your world?

Maregician Tarot

Reading Summary:  Rest and recuperation (Four of Spades), balance (Justice) in my judgements on myself and my values and performance (Judgement).  Without it three are consequences (Three of Spades).

Take Away:  I need to remember to take care of myself and not judge myself so harshly.  Balance is an important factor in self care, and in life as a whole.  In order to manifest more good things, though, self care is just as important as hard work and productivity.   Without that balance, shit starts to fall apart.

DECK USED:  MAREGICIAN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: What do I need in order to make my week successful?

Wheel of Fortune Tarot by Ivy Feng

Reading Summary: Uncertainty (The Moon) comes with being distracted in the past (Six of Cups).  Better to focus on what lies ahead (Wheel of Fortune) and spend time creating balance between myself and others (Six of Pentacles).

Take Away: I’ve been having a lot of dreams of the past lately.  Specifically concerning the incidents that happened on both my bathroom, then later my kitchen floors. Those memories bring with them a lot of vulnerability, and that vulnerability can breed a degree of uncertainty.   The cards are indicating if I want to have a more successful week, be sure to set those dreams and memories aside as best that I can, and focus instead on the present and future, and on connecting with others in my life so that we can lean on each other and support each other along the way.

DECK USED:  WHEEL OF FORTUNE TAROT BY IVY FENG

 

Steady As You Go

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and again was incorporated into my yoga practice.  I know that I don’t get as much out of it when I do it this way, but sometimes it’s just easier, and better than not doing it at all. It’s a good compromise for those days when I probably would have otherwise skipped the meditation practice all together, or tried to put it in at the end of the day, where I get far less from it than doing it with my yoga.

King of Swords - Efflorescent Tarot (Color Edition)Today’s draw is the King of Swords, which is a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality or person in the area of thoughts, logic, intellect, and communication.  This often presents itself as dominance and authority with a side of mental clarity and strong intellectual power.

The King of Swords appearance in today’s draw is a reminder that even with the sense of chaos that new emotions and a new depth of emotions brings with it, I am still capable of being level and grounded in my thinking.  It is a reminder to not allow the emotions to run away with my brain, because I need a balanced center to help me work with and learn from those emotions rather than just experience them without benefit and growth.

DECK USED: THE EFFLORESCENT TAROT (COLOR EDITION)

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: How should I approach failures and roadblocks in pursuit of my goals?

Jeremy Miranda Oracle Cards

Reading Summary:  These cards are about security (First Card) and comfort (Second card), and remembering to keep an undercurrent of warmth (Fourth Card) in the face of jagged cold (Third Card).

Take Away:  Road blocks and failures always feel cold to me.  The cards here are a reminder that when you come up against these obstacles in pursuit of my goals, I need to remember to stay grounded, and take comfort in the familiar.   Don’t allow myself to fall into a mindset of degradation against myself, as is so often my first response when things feel like they are falling apart.

DECK USED:  JEREMY MIRANDA ORACLE CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is a negative thing in your life that you don’t need to stress over?

Vindur Tarot

Reading Summary:  I worry about delving headlong (Knight of Wands) into the new emotions and depths of them I’ve been discovering since last august (The Fool atop the Six of Cups) and how this may change my values in the long run (Ten of Swords atop Judgement).

Take Away:  To be fair, this is more of an intuitive hit off the cards than at all associated with traditional meaning.  It has to do with that depth of emotions that I discovered in the fall, and a worry that in exploring them it might change my values into something more difficult to discern or follow.   Emotions are tricky and unstable things and I don’t particularly want them to have an influence on my moral compass and values.  Considering the question for this reading, the cards are saying that that isn’t something I need to worry about.

DECK USED:  VINDUR TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to know to make a change for the better today?

Circle - Inner Animal Tarot

Reading Summary: I am stronger than I think (Strength).  I just need to remember to stay grounded within my pursuits (Knight of Pentacles) and “count my blessings” (Ten of Cups).

Take Away: Even as I push myself to always do better and better, I underestimate myself all the time.  It’s a contradiction instilled within me by my parents.  Perfection is not good enough… you have to do even better.  This read is a reminder that perfection lives within imperfection, not despite of it.  I am strong and capable, I just need to remember not to let things get out of hand when I’m pursuing my goals and to practice gratitude and appreciation for all that I currently have.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE – INNER ANIMAL TAROT

An Optimistic View

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was incorporated into my yoga/physio routine.   When I do yoga first and then settle into the meditation after, it seems to create a sense of accomplishment to my routine that I don’t get otherwise.   That said, although it creates this sense of accomplishment, I don’t feel as if I get as much out of these meditation sessions as I do from guided meditations.

Or… maybe I’m just missing the guided meditations, as I haven’t been doing them all that often lately.

The Fool - Spacious TarotToday’s draw is The Fool card of the Major Arcana.   I love this card for the Fool because it has the feeling of beginnings in a way that I think a lot of cards lack.   Yes, there’s an end to that cliff, but looking out over the horizon, there is a vast array of possibilities that the artistry speaks of for me.

And that is the message of the card in today’s draw.  The Fool makes an appearance today to remind me that life is a journey, and each day presents new possibilities to discover and explore.  It’s okay to look at the world with a sense of wonder and set aside pessimism to take a deep breath and appreciate all life has to offer.

DECK USED:  SPACIOUS TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I keep my actions aligned with my goals throughout the year?

Bohemian Animal Tarot

Reading Summary: Don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed (Ten of Fire) and focus on staying optimistic (The Sun), proactive yet well grounded (Knight of Earth) while taking the time to be kind to yourself and others (The Goddess).

Take Away:  These are all things that are a bit of a challenge to me.  I have a habit of stacking too much on my plate, being pessimistic, and allowing myself to be unkind to myself.  These traits will be a hindrance to staying on track with my goals this year if I don’t stay on top of them.

DECK USED:  BOHEMIAN ANIMAL TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Draw 3 cards to tell the story of what you would do for a Dove Bar. (Had to change it from Klondike bar, cuz those things are nasty.)

Textured Tarot

Reading Summary: Dive to the deepest of depths (Ten of Swords), and fly to the highest of heights (The Sun), and use all of my substantial skillz to get what I want (The Magician). WahhhHaHaHa!!!  (LoL… Sounds like a Celine Dion song, yeah?)

Take Away:  Honestly?  Dove Ice Cream Bars are, hands down, the most amazing ice cream bars on the planet.  No contest.  I’ve tried them all and they are far and above the winner out of them all.  That said?  I intentionally drew these cards with humor in mind, and they didn’t disappoint. 

DECK USED:  TEXTURED TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: How will I know I’m improving concerning my procrastination habit?

Ethereal Visions Tarot

Reading Summary:  Less issues with being upset with myself (Three of Swords), less struggles and more of a sense of accomplishment (Six of Wands atop the Seven of Wands), and obviously I’d be getting my work done (Eight of Pentacles).

Take Away:  When I let things pile up because of procrastination, the longer it goes on the worse I feel about myself and life in general.  By keeping up with tasks and not allowing them to pile up, I’m able to release the sense of struggling to move forward as well as that sense of disappointment in myself and embrace a sense of accomplishment.   It’s also a pretty obvious and telling sign that I’m improving if I’m actually getting things done and feeling on top of my work and projects.

DECK USED:  ETHEREAL VISIONS TAROT

Self Care Saturday (on Sunday)

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As I’ve mentioned before, these 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 are not meant as a predictive reading.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Self Care Saturday - January 18

Earth – King of Pentacles and Hope – Brunfelsia americana (the flower in this card) is a representation of manifestation of good things. Combined with the King of Pentacles, the cards here are telling me to focus on the positives in the week ahead and in doing so, good things will come forward for me to meet that focus and fulfill it.

Air – Eight of Wands, Intuition, Creation – Datura discolour symbolises meditation and the lifting of creative blocks, and Hemerocallis liliosaphodelus symbolizes fertile abundance. This week is going to be a week of quick growth and abundant ideas. Be sure not to get so carried away in the enthusiasm of it all that you lose sight of the end goal.

Water – Five of Pentacles and Death – Datura metel symbolizes loss and endings. Combined with the Five of Pentacles, I get the impression that this week will be a bit rough emotionally. The Five of Pentacles also is a reminder that when in the grip of these emotions, it is important to remain aware to the help that can be had if I am willing to reach out for it. It may be possible to circumvent the brunt of these unpleasant feelings by reaching out and securing that help from others before hand.

Fire – King of Wands and Release – Lonicera japonica is a representation of emotionally “letting go” and going with the flow concerning changes. Joined with the King of Wands, I feel that there is something I am passionate about that may require an adjustment to my views or a letting go of either for the time being, or permanently. This position ties into the water position concerning how I am going to feel during the transition going on this week.

Waning – Protection – Tying into the cards above, this card speaks of something slipping through the cracks in my walls.

Waxing – Innocence – As the walls crumble and let in something unpleasant, the innocence and naivete that I still posses and try so hard to protect will become exposed.

Take Away – Forewarned is forearmed. It looks like this week has the potential for some pretty emotional changes that I’m going to have to reach out to others for assistance in working through. What I see here is that those emotions and struggle will have an up-side though, as it will create a sense of drive and focus for other areas, and spur on the manifestation of things waiting in the wings while igniting an “out of the box” thinking process.

DECKS USED: VINTAGE ORACLE TAROT, FLOWERS OF THE NIGHT ORACLE, VINTAGE WISDOM ORACLE

Growing Outside the Box

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Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long and was a guided meditation that focused on envy.  This isn’t usually an issue I deal with all that often.  I’m pretty damned content with my life, all things considered.   I have people who love me, steady work and steady income, a mortgage that is about five years from being paid off, a good car, and my health.   I have a partner that worships the ground I walk on as well, which is honestly something I never thought I would want, let alone have…. until you came along and taught me differently.

So, envy isn’t really something I deal with all that often.  I understood the message, though.  It was speaking of how when we envy what others have, we are spending too much time focusing down on the little things, instead of opening up to the bigger picture and all that we have to be grateful for.

The High Priestess - Efflorescent Tarot (Color Edition)Today’s draw is the High Priestess, which interestingly enough, was also the focus of the Weekly Card Study in one of the Discord servers I’m very active on.

The thing is?   In this card the High Priestess really doesn’t look all that happy at all. Neither is there any water in the background.  Instead, the landscape looks jagged and sparse, her expression feels like sadness to me, and the moon feels as if it is too far away.

This is interesting, as I’ve never had this reaction to the imagery in this card before, but what I see in this card today is someone that is dissatisfied with their lot in life and feels… stuck.

The pomegranate vines in the lower left corner speaks to me of breaking free, and I feel that the appearance of this card in today’s draw is less about traditional meanings and more about intuitive nuances.  The card is saying that when you feel dissatisfaction and are feeling stuck, it’s time to start branching out and looking for new soil and striving for “outside the box” growth.

DECK USED: THE EFFLORESCENT TAROT (COLOR EDITION)

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: What simple way can I  show I value myself this year?

Ember + Aura Tarot

Reading Summary: Foster those relationships that have value and potential for longevity (Seven of Coins), and set good boundaries (Nine of Wands) with new friends (Ace of Wands).

Take Away:  These cards are essentially reminding me to not waste time on relationships that aren’t going to go anywhere or have no value.  Sometimes I feel like I want to befriend and help everyone, and that simply isn’t possible.   In order to avoid burning myself out or over-burdening myself with too much, I need to pick and choose where I spend my energy, and make good choices concerning boundaries so that I don’t get spread too thin.

DECK USED:  EMBER + AURA TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJan2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What in your life needs started now for it to be ready when you need it?

Cat's Eye Tarot

Reading Summary: Get your ducks in a row now (Seven of Wands) concerning your responsibilities (Two of Pentacles), because a shit storm is coming (Wheel of Fortune).

Take Away:  I think the reading summary pretty much clearly outlines what this reading is saying without a lot of extra interpretation.  (Hello again btw, Wheel of Fortune.)  These cards are essentially another kick in the butt, which has been happening quite a bit this last week as I work at getting my plans in order for the changes I’m making to how I deal with and run my business over the next year.

DECK USED:  CAT’S EYE TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I stop procrastinating?

Prediction Tarot

Reading Summary:  Lean on what I’m good at (Eight of Coins) and remember to remain calm and collected (Temperance) through the changes taking place right now (Death).  Taking up the reigns on change is a process that takes time and steady, determined progress to accomplish (Knight of Coins).

Take Away:  This clearly has to do with my business and those changes I’m working on shifting into since the new year.  Appropriate, considering I have absolutely been procrastinating in that area.   The cards are encouraging me that it’s okay to take things slow in order to provide skillful precision to the situation, but I need to remember to stay calm and stir up that determination to push me forward when feeling uncertain.

DECK USED:  PREDICTION TAROT

Out With The Old

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and again incorporated into my yoga/physio practice at the end of the forty minute session I do daily. Moving from the ebb and flow of my yoga practice into the stillness of those ten minutes at the end of the practice feels really nice, and gives my body time to ease out of the stretching and exercise to a calm state.   I really like it.

Spacious TarotToday’s draw is a double without a jumper, meaning that the cards came out together as one from the deck.   The cards in today’s draw are the Ace of Pentacles atop the Death card.

When I see these two cards together today, the message that I get from this imagery is that in order for new things to happen, sometimes old things have to die off first.  Its a part of the ebb and flow of life that some things must fade in order to make room for new things to develop.    It’s a rhythm that fits into every facet of life, and it’s no different in mine.

The appearance of these cards is a reminder that you can only fit so much on your plate.  In order to fit in more, you have to let go of something, because only so much will manage to stay on the plate at once.

DECK USED:  SPACIOUS TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJanuary Challenge Prompt
Question: What simple way can I show my loved ones that I value them this year?

Field Tarot

Reading Summary:   Make sure I’m there for them (Prince of Discs) during times of change (Death), and willing to lend an ear without casting judgement (The swan consulting it’s reflection in the Judgement card), and help them find a way forward (Chariot) when they are having trouble seeing a their path through (Princess of Wands) those difficult times.

Take Away:  Sometimes what loved ones need most is an ear and a little help finding the path through the trees.  This is something that my loved ones come to me for now and then through the years and it sounds like this year will be another one of those years.

DECK USED:  THE FIELD TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt
Question: How can I overcome my weaknesses?

Tarot Cats

Reading Summary: Weaknesses are not meant to be overcome (The Moon), instead they are meant to be sat with and learned from (Four of Cups) so that you can move forward into personal growth and while learning how to utilize those weaknesses to your advantage (Seven of Pentacles) for the future.

Take Away:  This answer really makes sense to me, because I’ve never really understood how you “overcome” weaknesses.  To me, everyone has weaknesses and you learn to adapt to them and use them to your advantage.  That doesn’t mean they aren’t still a weakness, only that they have become a useful weakness.

DECK USED:  TAROT CATS