tarot self care

Morning Bonus Read – Witch’s New Year Spread

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Dead Waite Tarot - Witch's New Year SpreadWhat is the strongest potential/possibility awaiting me in the next twelve months?
The Chariot atop Eight of Wands

Slow down and get where you’re going to faster.  It sounds counter productive, yeah?  Slowing down does not feel like it would get you where you want to go faster… but sometimes it does.

The Chariot indicates that I have the control to take myself forward in any direction that I want to go.  All roads are open. What’s key here, though, is that whatever road I choose?  I need to take my time.

What attitudes do I need to shift to welcome this opportunity?
Strength

I need to reevaluate what I perceive as strength.  This makes perfect sense, as taking things slow and moderation are not really things that I usually view as strengths, especially when trying to get somewhere or accomplish something. And they are very much something I’m not at all good at.  The suggestion here is that I need to sit with the concept of one’s strength, and consider how I view my own.

What beliefs do I need to shift to welcome this opportunity?
Page of Pentacles

So much of my time and focus lies on the development of stability and security in both my home and finances. This has been to such an extreme over the past decade that it sometimes feels as if these values are the only thing I have dedicated myself to working towards in life.

If I want to welcome in the opportunities available to me over the next twelve months, I need to reframe how I see these goals as well as how I go about accomplishing them.

What behaviors do I need to shift to welcome this opportunity?
Knight of Swords

Jumping in full-bore and going at it without taking a pause or giving myself breaks.  Allowing my ambitions to drive me ruthlessly forward, constantly pushing myself harder and harder.  These behaviors are not healthy and although I have begun the process of changing how I do things in this area, there’s still a long way to go.

 How can I support myself as I make these shifts?
Page of Swords

I need to take some time to really think on and absorb the ramifications of the attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors mentioned above. In these specific areas, the old way is not the best way and I need to make sure that I am open to learning something new that’s going to serve me better.

 How can I empower myself as I make these shifts?
Ten of Swords

Accept the shifts need to happen and do what you can to step into them and allow these old attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors to die.  In order to move forward, you have to leave something behind.

DECK USED: DEAD WAITE TAROT

Morning Bonus Read – Sovereign Self Spread

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The Gothic Tarot - Sovereign Self SpreadWhere have I let my guard down?
Three of Swords

Despair and disappointment have been allowed to creep in and just because you’re trying to ignore that it’s there isn’t going to make it ease up or go away.  The reason you’ve been feeling like crap lately is because your negative inner dialogue is whispering to you and although you aren’t exactly listening? You’re not doing your all to fight against it either.

Where are my boundaries weak?
Four of Wands atop Queen of Cups

Your boundaries are weakest with those that you share a roof with and an emotional connection to.   You want to give them a chance to enjoy themselves, and because of that you’re not setting down boundaries as firm as you need to be.

How might I step up and reclaim sovereignty of myself?
The Moon

Stop entertaining all your self doubts and uncertainties.  That inner dialogue is fucking up your perspective and causing more doubts and uncertainties to come to the surface with each day that passes.

How might I step up and reclaim sovereignty of my space?
Three of Cups

Make things fun for everyone.  Being together so much is a struggle and it makes all of us a little techty.  It isn’t as if they are going anywhere right now, so in order to reclaim your space it’s important to take control of the energy in that space and turn it into something positive that reinforces the bonds between all three of you.

 How might I step up and reclaim sovereignty of my experience?
Ten of Cups

Focus on what you have and just how good it is. Fill your life with positive emotions, positive hope, and a positive outlook on the present.  In doing so you leave no room for that negativity that’s trying to drag you under.  This is not always easy, focusing on that positive aspect.  But it’s necessary.

 How can I continue to create and maintain strong boundaries moving forward?
Knight of Cups

Know what it is you want and go after it.  Good things come to those that reach for the stars, so decide what stars you want to pluck from the sky and do what is needed to make obtaining them possible.

DECK USED: THE GOTHIC TAROT

Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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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?

Dark Mansion Tarot, Agatha's Pendulum Oracle, Witches World Oracle

Earth – Ace of Cups and Crow / Destiny – Sometimes it’s okay to make decisions with your heart. Keep your eye cast in the direction that you want to go in, and seize the opportunities that come along to improve your position.  This week, it may be that you have to lean more into your gut than your head in doing that… and that’s okay.

Air – King of Cups, Nine of Wands, Rosemary / Focus – You’re not feeling all that “large and in charge” this week, but you’re faking it just fine.  The thing is?  This isn’t one of those times when you can fake it until you make it.  Take a breath and do what you need to find your center and your focus.  This means picking back up your meditation and letting it help soothe some of that defensive tension you have going on right now.

Water – Five of Pentacles and Carnelian / Motivate – That general malaise that you’ve been feeling the last few days is messing with your motivation.  This will continue to be a struggle throughout the week, but keep in mind that action is the kindle that sparks motivation’s fire.  Make sure that you’re doing even a little bit each day toward your goals and that the girls are as well.  It’ll keep you moving, even during this week that may otherwise feel like dragging feet through quicksand.

Fire – Ten of Cups, Pyrite / Success, Black Tourmaline / Eliminate – This week is going to cause you to feel a bit hopeless and as if you’re progress towards your goals has come to a grinding halt. Business is going to be slow, but it’s temporary.  Remember that your reaction to this is an entirely emotional reaction.

Waning – Origin – This is about my father’s influences. It’s about my origin story and the need to focus on leaving that in the past where it belongs.  The emotions and demons that allowing it to come forward are demons that I can’t wrestle with at this time, and so allowing them to come forward will only allow them to harm me.  Keep the past in the past where it belongs.  Now is not the time.

Waxing – The Harvest – This week is the final week of the last harvest, and this card couldn’t be more fitting considering that fact. It’s time to start gathering up everything I will need for the winter months… that means gathering up everything that I need for the holiday rush that’s only getting closer and closer.  Don’t allow your feelings from the Fire position above to dissuade you from the preparations you need to make.

Take Away – Business is going to be slow this week and it’s going to fuck with your emotions, but don’t let that keep you from doing what you need to do to prepare for what’s to come. Make sure that you don’t let the general malaise that you’ve been feeling create a vulnerability that your father’s influences can then slip into and start eating away at you. Listen to your heart this week when it comes to any opportunities coming your way.  This isn’t easy for you as logic is your go to, but the heart that needs a say this time.

DECKS USED: DARK MANSION TAROT, WITCHES WORLD ORACLE, AGATHA’S PENDULUM ORACLE

Morning Bonus Read – Challenging an Old Habit

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Continuing our theme for the month, some questions to ponder this week…”

Flonz Vintage Halloween Playing CardsWhat is something in your life that you are struggling to put to rest?
Ten of Clubs

My need to overburden myself with craploads of stuff to get done. Each week brings me that much closer to my six week nightmare of the holiday rush, and with each week that passes I feel more pressure (from myself) to put more and more on my plate and try to get more and more done.

What do you need to do to finally move forward with that goal, emotionally?
Seven of Hearts atop King of Clubs

It’s all about the choices we make and owning your actions and drive. If I want to move forward into keeping myself from being overburdened, I need to lean into leading rather than slaving.  Taking control rather than allowing the vast array of things I feel that I need to get done to control me. In other words?  if I want to move forward emotionally with this, I need to take control of my obligation oriented emotions that drive me to overwhelm myself with work.

What do you need to do to finally move forward with that goal, physically and mentally?
Nine of Hearts

Understand that I don’t need that overwhelm and strife  in my life in order to feel like I’m succeeding.  That means stepping back from all these things that are overwhelming me and allow myself time to re-evaluate.  The world is not going to fall apart if I don’t pile these things on my shoulders, so maybe I need to just… not do it.   It’s okay to not do it.

How can you best celebrate the steps you are taking to put to rest this thing in your life?
Eight of Spades

Putting to rest the tendency to overburden myself is really hard.  To celebrate this, I need to move forward with my eyes closed.  That is to say… allow yourself to be blind to the pile of work that needs to be done for once.  Allow yourself to move forward with your eyes closed and do only what is needed instead of looking at the whole picture and everything I could pile on my plate.  Find freedom in wearing the blindfold.  Sometimes ignorance really is bliss.  This is one of those times.

DECK USED: FLONZ VINTAGE HALLOWEEN PLAYING CARDS

Morning Bonus Read – Thinning Veil Spread

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Because I am trying to show a bit more of my decks this month, as I have a whole LOT of October/Halloween/Samhain decks, I’m doing a few extra bonus reads over the month.  This is one of those extra readings.

Thinning Veil Tarot Spread - SkeleTarot

Your Higher Purpose
Page of Pentacles

Learning how to connect to the earth and to develop my manifestation abilities no matter what life throws at me along the way.  It’s about adaptability and staying grounded while still moving forward.  There is also an indication here about the speed of that movement.  This is not fast movement, but rather slow and steady with the focus more on what you learn along the way than where you are going to end up.

Advice From Beyond the Veil
The Lovers

So many of my readings that have included this question end up throwing this same answer to me again and again.  Make good choices.  This isn’t about making choices that advance some agenda but rather about listening to my moral compass and allowing deeper needs and motivations to lead rather than surface wants and desires.

A Lesson From This Side of the Veil
Strength

The events of my life thus far have been about survival. It’s about taking your licks and keeping moving, no matter how much it hurts or how debilitating the experience should be. This is a lesson in inner strength.  Most of my “misfortunes” along the way were not about making good or bad choices, but about the strength gained along the way as I move through and beyond the ramifications of what has happened, continually adapting as I go.

Your Shadow’s Influence
Ace of Wands

As the shadows within work to whisper in your ear, it can be hard to keep your inspiration and enthusiasm going.  The influence of my Shadow upon this lifetime is to teach me how to sustain that enthusiasm, even as those whispers try to distract me and drag me into backslide after backslide.

DECK USED:  SKELE-TAROT

Morning Bonus Read – Dark Year Spread

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The Vampire TarotWhat is dying away, sloughing off, departing?
Five of Wands

My enthusiasm for the fight.  I haven’t had that spark of fire this season that usually rides me so hard.  That lack of enthusiasm makes it hard to push forward and has caused a slackening of motivation.

How can I lovingly support this transition?
Six of Cups atop Seven of Wands

These cards are not about supporting the transition.  They’re about supporting myself through a time of discomfort and reminding myself that I need to stay in the present and not allow the past and my past experiences to force me into unpleasant situations.   A lot of my motivation comes from those past experiences, and so this is also about acceptance.

What will this death make way for? What’s looking to be born or reborn?
Six of Pentacles

I really dislike this feeling of lack of motivation, but what this death is trying to make room for is a the ability to be more generous with myself and others.  This is about having the awareness of where I am, what I need from others, and what I can offer in turn.  Thus, putting me more in touch with what’s going on around me instead of within my own life from only my own perspective.

DECK USED: THE VAMPIRE TAROT