tarotbot tarot

Reigning in Distractions

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Today’s meditation was fifteen minutes long, and came after the second prolonged yoga/physio routine.  It was another of the harp strings with interval timers, but as with last time, I added in some extra stretching to help ease some of the tension of the new yoga work I’m doing.  I didn’t do the extra work yesterday, and I won’t tomorrow. I want to ease into it so I’m doing it every other day for the time being.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is Four of Water (Four of Cups) which is traditionally a representation of emotional reevaluation of a situation, meditative contemplation, or withdrawal which on an emotional level  can turn into an apathetic outlook.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of today’s card is all the motion and movement.   This is not something that I really associate with the fours of… well, any suit, really.   Fours, to me, are about stability and so all of the movement seems a bit counter-intuitive to the traditional meaning of this card.

The other thing that stands out to me in this card, though, is that the dogs on this card are wearing collars.

The movement combined with the collars brings my mind to the swirling of thoughts that go through one’s head when they can’t settle. And so maybe this does tie back to the traditional meaning after all, because what I see here in this card is the constant attempts of the mind trying to interrupt times of meditation. This is something that happens to everyone, and when we catch ourselves in the middle of meditation that is being interrupted by stray thoughts or emotions, we grab on to the “collar” of those thoughts and tug them back in line.   And yet, they always start running around again soon enough.

The message in today’s card is about accepting that this happens, and that it’s normal that this happens. It’s okay that the mind wanders during meditation as long as you catch yourself and bring your attention back to center again… no matter how many times it takes.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m struggling to maintain motivation.
Question: What aspects of my current routine might be helpful in achieving my goals?

New Palladini Tarot

Reading Summary: My self-defeating behaviors (Five of Swords) are actually a powerful tool (The Magician) in fostering hope and spiritual awareness (The Star).

Take Away:  This is a reminder that not all of my goals are centered around financial stability and security.  Growth in those areas is great, but my distractions and self-defeating behavior (such as slacking off, sometimes falling behind, etc) in these areas also opens myself up to those other types of growth that need to take place. 

DECK USED:  NEW PALLADINI TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question:  Is morality relative?

Tarotbot TarotReading Summary: Some things are constant no matter where you are or who you are (The Sun).

On the other hand, some things are more about inner perceptions (Four of Wands) and experiences (Ten of Swords). These things are relative.

Take Away:  Like the sun in the sky and the need for life on our planet to be nurtured by it, some things are universal and that includes some aspects of morality.  On the other hand, there is a great deal of morality that is based upon perception and experience, either through individuals or through societal experience.

The cards indicate that morality is not a whole, but rather is a conglomeration of pieces that are brought together through both universal values and personal/societal experiences.  So it is both relative in some areas… and not in others.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  absolute truth // opinion // misconception // lesson

Midcenturian Tarot

Absolute Truth – The World and Wheel of Fortune – All life moves in cycles.

Opinion – Temperance and Eight of Cups – Walking away from something is the same as peaceful restraint.

Misconception – Knight of Cups – Emotions don’t have to be full on all the time.

Don’t forget that the experience of one’s emotions is subjective to the person experiencing them and the memory of those emotions is influenced by what comes out of them.

Lesson – Five of Cups Rx – Letting go of pessimism and that inner narrative of negativity in order to choose a lighter path.

DECK USED:  MIDCENTURIAN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:  What am I being called to create now?

Evolution Tarot

Reading Summary:  You can create balance in your relationship with your responsibilities (Two of Coins) if you’re willing to practice patience and allow for your growth to continue at a slow pace (Seven of Coins). Enjoy your time with those nearest and dearest to you (Two of Potions), and give yourself space to grow (Page of Coins).

Take Away:  What I am being called to create right now isn’t about manifesting a physical item in the world, but rather I am being called to create space within my life for growth, and patience to allow that growth to take place by spending time building my relationships with those I love rather than focusing on pushing forward and rushing things.

DECK USED:  EVOLUTION TAROT

Standing Tall

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Today’s meditation was… not as long or as relaxing as I would have liked. It’s just too hot for my tastes.   I has to turn the AC off for a bit in the bedroom to get a little peace from the constant grating of the AC’s sound vibrating under my skin.  It just… ugh.   And with the AC off, the room got hot fast.  Thus I found myself uncomfortable in an entirely different way.

Herbcrafter's TarotToday’s draw is the Adelita of Fire (Knight of Wands) which is traditionally a representation of an active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s drives and ambitions, passions and inspiration.

Funny enough (although maybe not entirely surprising considering what I do for a living) what stood out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is the bracelet on the wrist of the one wielding the mortar and pestle.

I see flair in that bracelet.  A boldness and fierce brightness of color that only someone with flair and the strong spark of a passionate nature can pull off.  It fits well with the boldness of a Knight’s active energy and the spark of the fire suit.   In the same vein, so does the representation of Cayenne used in this card.

Cayenne is a decongestant, an antibacterial, an anti-irritant, and an anti-inflammatory circulatory stimulant. It’s medicinal uses are known world wide, and are extremely diverse. Metaphysically it’s uses often lean more towards the love and passion side of things, and it is also useful in protection spells as well as promoting courage.

The message in this card today is about the courage of being bold and being yourself.  Sometimes everyone has self doubts, and that includes me.  Awkwardness creeps in and you find yourself hesitating and feeling a bit “off”.   With a hint of the drop niggling at my core, that vulnerability can create that hesitation in doubt in myself… and the message in this card coming up today is to not allow that niggling to drag me down and under into a place where I feel the need to retreat or put on a mask of invulnerability.

Instead… Stand tall. Be yourself.  Be bold.

DECK USED:  HERBCRAFTER’S TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m so overwhelmed.
Question:  How does over-commitment impact my mental health?

Tarot Maddonni

Reading Summary: More “acting out” concerning my addictions (Le Diable). Less able to accept stabilizing comfort from Gideon (King of Cups Rx). Less joy and enjoyment in life (The Sun in reference to how tired and un-enthused the face of the sun appears).

Take Away:  Over-commitment breeds a need for escapism, self destructive tendencies, and self-soothing in unhealthy ways.  Instead of seeking soothing from healthy sources, the sense of overwhelm creates a tendency to close myself off from those healthy outlets and has me seeking out unhealthy ones instead.  It also creates burnout, which causes an overall lack of enthusiasm for… well, just about damned near everything.

DECK USED:  TAROT MADDONNI

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to focus on for self-care for this new moon?

Way of the Panda TarotReading Summary:Remember that the good stuff takes time to develop and don’t get all defensive or up in arms if that growth takes longer than you think it should (Seven of Swords).  You may have others clamoring for you to share the wealth (Six of Pentacles) but now is not the time (Seven of Swords).

[Note the presence of a star even within the imagery of the Sword card, tying it into the theme of the Pentacle cards.]

Take Away:  This is another warning to “stay in my lane” and focus on long term benefits at this time in my life. The new moon is a good time to start new things, and to turn things around and start anew.   The cards here indicate that what I need to start anew is the “long term” perspective concerning my goals and ambitions concerning my security and stability of health and home.  Be the miser and take this time to foster growth.

DECK USED:  WAY OF THE PANDA TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  new moon in cancer:  look back // lay the foundation // look ahead

Tarotbot Tarot

Nine of Wands – Look back at the time I took off and how it lightened my feeling of burden. Keep this in mind and make sure that I use that experience to encourage further times of rest, bolstering me so that I can move forward again with my strength renewed.

Knight of Wands – Lay the foundation for the holiday rush. It’s time to start looking at what needs preparation so that when the time comes, I’m ready to surge forward into it.

Queen of Swords – Look ahead at making wise decisions that will allow for growth rather than focusing on negative inner dialogue that creates road blocks and inner strife.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:  How does a creative blockage feel?

Karma TarotReading Summary: Like my synergy (Three of Cups) to my inner fire (Ace of Wands) and ability to manifest (Lilith) are being blocked (Rx of the Three of Cups), and that this is then standing in the way to any kind of emotional fulfillment (Ten of Cups) that I would usually get from creative pursuits.

Take Away:  I garner a sensation of emotional fulfillment when I am deep within my creative process and bringing to reality the combination of my inner spark’s passion combined with the ideas in my mind.  This process of manifestation is joyous and when there is a creative block in play, it feels as if all of the synergy and coordination between these different aspects of myself is out of whack.

DECK USED:  KARMA TAROT

Tuning In

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and was focused primarily on breathing in cleansing energy, and breathing out pain as I stretched and worked on a few stiff spots in my mobility.  This type of meditation can be extremely relaxing when muscles and pain levels cooperate, but today was not one of those cooperative days.  I did manage to get a little more range of motion going, though, so it wasn’t a total loss.

Cosmos Tarot and OracleToday’s draw is is the Ten of Water (Ten of Cups) which is traditionally a representation of fulfillment and completion in the areas of one’s emotions, relationships, and intuitive gifts.

There were a couple of different things that stuck out to me in the imagery of this card today, the first of which was one of the key words at the bottom of the card.  Although I absolutely see the sense in “marriage” as an interpretation of the Ten of Cups, I’ve personally never had marriage come up in relation to this card and it took me a moment’s pause to consider and… eventually, agree.

Also in the imagery of this card it was that the woman here has her eyes closed.   This speaks to me of turning inward, and in doing so, becoming more aware of the emotions you are feeling in the moment.   The slight curve on her lips indicates that she feels both peaceful and positive in this moment captured on the card.

The message in today’s card is to take time and acknowledge your emotions, and savor the good and positive pieces of your life that lift those positive emotions to the surface.

DECK USED:  COSMOS TAROT AND ORACLE

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m struggling with self-worth.
Question:  How can I learn to measure my worth exclusively in comparison to my past self?

Tarotbot Tarot

Reading Summary: Don’t close yourself off and hunker down, becoming so focused on stability and security (Four of Coins) that you forget to look around. Opportunities lie in opening your eyes (Two of Swords). Instead make the choice to stay aware and to roll with the punches (The Wheel).

Take Away:  In order to measure my worth exclusively in comparison to my past instead of on my present or future contributional abilities, I need to remember all of the times in the past when life has knocked me on my ass and how I have managed to get up again and again regardless of what has been thrown at me along the way.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic:  Write something free form inspired by the cards.

Aquarian TarotKnight of Cups – Andrew’s worth had always been measured in his ability to get on well with his comrades and strangers alike. He was known to be a boisterous man filled with stories that made others laugh and a lover that captured the hearts of many women.

Strength – One day Andrew met a woman that he could not sway so easily as all the others.  This intrigued him and drew him to her again and again like a moth to the flame.  And with each visit to her bed he became more enamored with her, admiring her wiles and her wisdom.

Death – Through these many visits she opened Andrew up to a whole new world, and soon he had eyes for no one but her.  Frivolous trysts and clandestine encounters no longer appealed, as it was the strength of Cassandra’s mind he admired most of all and he found that none other could shine as bright as she.

His life forever changed, he committed himself to her and they lived long lives together, challenging each other to grow, their fates entwined like the roots of an oak tree.

DECK USED:  AQUARIAN TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question:  When am I most creative?

New Palladini Tarot

Reading Summary: When I am regulating (Temperance) my responsibilities properly (Two of Pentacles) and leaving room for endeavors away from my obligations (King of Cups).

Take Away:  I am most creative when I allow myself some time and space to do things that have nothing to do with my obligations and responsibilities.  Exploring creativity in this free environment, without the pressures of money or business or obligation to weigh down the process, allows my creativity to truly be set free.

DECK USED:  NEW PALLADINI TAROT

Rolling Stones Standing Still

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IMG_5153Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and a guided meditation that focused upon vulnerability and creativity.  There is vulnerability in creativity… as well as in all those other things mentioned in the Brene Brown quote on the right.   I’m not sure if I would consider vulnerability the birth place of these things…. but I think that it takes a certain level of vulnerability to allow them in and allow them to have influence over you.

All of those emotions leave you vulnerable to being hurt, and creativity does as well.  It takes bravery to create, to put what you have made out there in the world and allow people to see it.  Whether we want them to judge these creations or not?  They will.  And those judgements can hurt when they are not positive.

Herbcrafter's Tarot - The World - PachamamaToday’s draw is The World card, which is traditionally a representation of the fulfillment and achievement that can be obtained by reaching the end of a journey, transitioning through growth into a new journey, as well as the cycles of life and reincarnation.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is the monarch butterfly.  A butterfly’s life is full of cycles.  The cycle from caterpillar to butterfly, the cycle of migration they go through each year, etc.   They are in constant flux of one sort or another, and never fully still or stagnant in life.  At the same time, the stones in the floral mandala also really catch my eye.  These stones are positioned to represent the four directions and thus, the four elements.

The combination of these two aspects are a message of encouragement concerning finding balance and direction. At the moment I am feeling a bit stagnant and struggling with direction, and I feel like the stones in the imagery and how they stand out to me today is an encouragement that taking this time off to just relax and de-stress is a good move.

DECK USED:  HERBCRAFTER’S TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic: I’m struggling with self-worth.
Question:  When did I first start to lose my sense of worth?

New Palladini Tarot

Reading Summary: There were many times in my youth when uncertainty was an issue for me (The Moon) and yet I was left to deal with it on my own as everyone abandoned me during my times of need (Eight of Cups). I did the best that I could with what I had at the time to work with (Page of Rods), but I was judged harshly for the results regardless (The Last Judgement).

Take Away:  This type of behavior pattern from others during my developmental years created a sense of always needing to do better and the mentality that only perfection was acceptable from me. This is something I’ve carried into adulthood, and I’ve only started to recognize as a problem and work on over the last few years.

DECK USED:  NEW PALLADINI TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Question:  How can I strengthen my relationship with my loved ones?

Tarotbot TarotReading Summary: Be generous (Six of Coins) in sharing your passions with others (King of Wands) and spread your enthusiasm and inspiration around and see what comes back to you in turn (Page of Wands).

Take Away:  By involving them more in those things that I enjoy and find inspiration in.  Most of my creative endeavors and passionate interests are solo activities, but many have the potential to be more by sharing these activities with others.  By doing this, I open myself up to let them in closer, and become closer to them in turn, which then strengthens those relationships.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  embrace // erase // face

The Fifth Tarot

Emperor – Embrace your power and accept the authority that you have over others, whether you really want it or not. Embrace your role in this family and among others, and your role as a leader. You are the stable protector and provider, the foundation, and that’s okay.

Judgement and Ten of Swords – Erase self-doubt. The struggles that you have gone through do not need to be rehashed again and again in your mind, and evaluated over and over looking for flaws and mistakes. You’ve done the best you could so let these worries go and focus on moving forward.

Three of Lotus – Not even stone can withstand the flow of water, forever unchanged by its currents. Face the fact that you cannot stand stagnant and move forward at the same time. You have to be able to except that things are going to change in all aspects of your life as well as within you as you move along this path of growth you are on.

DECK USED:  THE FIFTH TAROT

The Follow Through

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IMG_5203Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and was a guided meditation that focused upon the benefits of sticking to your meditation practice rather than giving up when things don’t start changing (or getting easier) right away.

This isn’t the reason that I personally give up, it seems.   The problem for me is that self destructive creature that lives in my mind, hiding quietly in the shadows seeking out the small cracks and secret openings that will allow it to slip in and wreak havoc.    I know about this tendency and I struggle against it all the time, but sometimes? It manages to get its nails in deep even when I’m trying my best to not let it.

Herbcrafter's TarotToday’s draw is the Two of Fire (Two of Wands) which is traditionally interpreted as finding direction and making plans.  It’s about going after what kindles your inner spark… specifically the fact that in order to head on a journey, you need to first make a plan and choose a direction.

What stands out to me the strongest in the image of this card today is the tools set on the counter.   There’s a plan here, and preparation has begun to get things done.  You have your tools and you have a purpose, a direction, and a plan.  But also, I note that there are no hands.

This speaks to me of a reminder that planning can only take you so far, then you have to either put your plans into action, or abandon them and walk away.   I don’t want to walk away… so it’s time to start moving in the direction I’ve chosen to continue in.  That is, the direction of the emotional growth I’ve been working with so far through the spring and summer months.

DECK USED:  HERBCRAFTER’S TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJuly Challenge Prompt
Topic:  I’m struggling to find my purpose.
Question:  What are the consequences of continuing to hide from my deepest desires?

Veleda Woods Tarot

Reading Summary: 9 & 2 rx. Less connection to others (Two of Cups Rx) and less satisfaction in my successes (Nine of Pentacles Rx), as well as increased apathy and and a more vocal inner critic casting judgment upon myself (Justice).

Take Away:  When you don’t take care of yourself, the scales of balance tip and the result is that you end up less healthy and less well internally too.   Apathy and negative thoughts creep in to pollute your thoughts and feelings, making it harder to bond with others and connect deeply with them, as well as making it difficult to enjoy your success because you’re too focused upon what you are perceiving as your failures.

DECK USED:  VELEDA WOODS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJul2020 Challenge Prompt
Topic:  Unexpected Boon / Potential Obstacle

Hanson Roberts TarotReading Summary: Being able to get to that place of abundant stability and security that I crave (Ten of Pentacles), even though the emotions feel like they stand in the way (Ace of Cups).

Take Away:  The unexpected boon here is the ability to find that place of abundance regardless of the hurdles along the way.   The potential obstacle is self doubt.  It’s about the fact that I rarely see my path on an emotional level but rather a logical one.   If I want to make sure that the emotional side of things is not an obstacle, I need to learn how to handle my emotions and use them to my advantage instead of allowing them to hold me up or drag me back.

DECK USED:  HANSON ROBERTS TAROT

#OwlandBonesJuly Challenge by Owl and Bones Tarot
Topic:  listen // learn // teach

Tarotbot Tarot

Listen – The Hanged Man – Make sure I am not closing myself off to other perspectives and ideas. Sometimes when I am feeling vulnerable I struggle with staying open, but in truth… these times are the most opportune times in which to learn.  It’s important to stay open so that the discomfort is something learned from rather than just something gotten through and discarded.

Learn – Seven of Cups – How to make choices instead of always trying to take on too much. This is a difficult lesson for me, and one that I am presently working very hard at.  I have a habit of filling my plate too full and struggling with overwhelm as a result. Instead of allowing myself to put so much on my plate, I need to seek out ways to minimize my responsibilities and delegate.

Teach – Seven of Wands – Independence. How to stand up for what you believe in. And how to be confident in one’s beliefs and their individual uniqueness. These are things that I very much enjoy nurturing in others and hope to continue to teach other throughout my entire life.  I feel that with each person I am able to help in finding their self confidence and independence, I am making the world a better place as a result.

DECK USED:  TAROTBOT TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What am I passionate about?

Slavic Tarot

Reading Summary: I’m all for fighting for those things that I believe in and feel are important (Five of Wands)… but I also know when it’s time to let go and move on to something better (Six of Swords) in order to protect the things that are truly near and dear to me from harm (Nine of Wands).

Take Away:  The cards here indicate that what I am most passionate about are those things that are so very near and dear to me that I want to protect them, and that I am willing to abandon “the fight” of my own interests and drive in order to protect.

DECK USED:  SLAVIC TAROT