#TarotForGrowthDecember

Stepping Out of the Cycle

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Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and focused on looking beyond the self.  In this case, it was about how we can at times get lost in our thoughts and allow them to create anxiety, discomfort, or negativity.

When you are lost in a thought and experiencing these things, sometimes it can help to take a step back emotionally and realize that they really are just thoughts. Often?  They are predictive thought that is baseless other than being created by riding on our worries or anxieties.

As our thoughts are often cyclical, once thoughts like this settle in, they begin to repeat and repeat, building on themselves again and again. In doing so, they can build on worries, stress, and anxiety as well, which can become overwhelming.  In stepping back and acknowledging that these thoughts are not reality but just thoughts, it allows us to set those thoughts aside, and eases those feelings of stress and negativity.

The Moon - Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is the Moon card, which is the eighteenth card of the Major Arcana, and deals with topics in in the areas of uncertainty and fear, anxieties and the unknown, the subconscious, and confusion.

The topic goes really well with today’s meditation. Sometimes uncertainty is a good thing because it gives you time to pause, think, and reassess.  Today’s meditation is about taking that pause, assessing what is real and what is just thoughts as a projection of what’s in your heart and head instead of reality, and reassessing the situation to find a better outlook.

I think that everyone falls into this habit of “doom day” type thought cycles now and then. I’m no different.  Today’s draw is a good reminder not to let myself get carried away by the unknown.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  What can I do to create better focus on the topic of yesterday’s read without overburdening myself?

Wayhome Tarot

Reading Summary:  To avoid burnout (Ten of Wands) I need to plot a course (Three of Wands) and stick to it (The Chariot) or I’ll have to pay the consequences (Justice).

Take Away:  (Just sayin’… but I really love this deck.)  Essentially if I don’t want to upset the apple cart and have my responsibilities and interests all come toppling into a mess on the floor, I need to make a plan on how I want to move forward.  One that will help me avoid giving myself burnout, which I am very good at doing.  And then, once that plan is made?  Stick to it.

DECK USED:  WAYHOME TAROT

 

Learning from New Experiences

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on making the best out of difficult situations.  It was a good theme for Christmas day, as it mentioned gatherings where you can’t always get along with everyone, and times when people are being difficult, and how it’s better to step beyond these experiences and focus on the positive, rather than allowing these negative influences to drag you down and make you miserable.

I don’t have to worry about that as much this year, as I am going to  a friend’s family home for Christmas dinner rather than spending time with my own family, who can be quite abusive even at the best of times.   But, it was still a very good reminder to focus on the good rather than letting the bad niggle in and have a destructive influence on your mood, attitude, or day.

The Hierophant - Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Hierophant, which is traditionally a representation of wisdom, institutions, the status quo, and tradition.  It is also a card that represents the dynamics between teacher and student…. and is my birth card.

The appearance of the Hierophant in today’s draw is an indication of the experiences I shared with J’s family.  This is the second year (not in a row) that I’ve attended Christmas dinner at his house, and for me it really is a learning experience.   Their traditions are beautiful, and they are so warm and loving to each other… and to me.

It’s interesting and different and… wonderful.  It is an amazing experience to be a part of something so full of love, warmth, and acceptance.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  Where should I focus my energy over the next year?

Forest of Enchantment Tarot

Reading Summary:  Gratitude and comfort (Ten of Visions), a new approach to business matters (Ace of Boons), and balancing instead of overburdening myself (Ten of Spells).

Take Away:  I need to continue to increase my self care and gratitude practice, allowing myself time to explore the emotional aspects of life rather than ignoring them.  I also need to commit to the new approach to working with the business that I’ve been considering, and focus on balancing the different aspects of my life rather than allowing myself to “overfill my plate” to the point where I’m overwhelmed.

DECK USED:  FOREST OF ENCHANTMENT TAROT

 

Guarded, but No Smothering

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long and focused on stepping outside yourself.  It was not about “stepping outside yourself” during meditation, but rather about when you are interacting with others in the day-to-day.

Sometimes we all get wrapped up in our own lives, experiences, history, and future plans that we forget everyone else is also their own little universe as well, and their universe is completely different than ours.

We can’t know what they are thinking, or feeling, or going through unless we are willing to step outside of our own personal reality and listen to them and theirs.  Even then, it is more like looking in through a window than an actual experience of our own.

The reminder in today’s meditation is not just that everyone’s life and experiences are subjective and different, but that when we run into difficulty concerning interaction with them, we need to remember this and practice tolerance and understanding, rather than impatience, irritation, or negativity.

Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is a double without a jumper, which means that both cards dropped out of the deck together.  The cards in today’s draw are the Ace of Wands and the Seven of Swords.

Back in the fall during one of my Self-Care reads, I was given a warning to be on my guard concerning sharing my inspiration and creative spark with others.  I was warned that by sharing my ideas without a care for who I shared them with, I could end up getting screwed over in the long run.

The appearance of the Ace of Wands over the Seven of Swords in today’s draw is a reminder not to let that caution overshadow and consequently smothering my creative spark.  It’s good to take care and protect yourself, but not so much that you end up snuffing out the creativity and ideas that you are trying to protect in the first place.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question: What should I leave behind as this year comes to a close?

Spooky Cat Tarot

Reading Summary:  Making good choices (The Lovers) includes accepting that if I want to protect my business (Seven of Wands), I need to set aside my “play time” (Ace of Wands and The Fool) and focus on the more grounded parts of the job.

Take Away:  Okay so, the administrative aspects of my business are NOT my favorite part of things.  In fact, they’re really near the very bottom of the list. So it’s not surprising that I have a habit of trying to ignore those tasks as much as possible and focus on the part I enjoy, which is the creative side of things.  The cards are telling me that it’s time to bite the bullet and deal with the administrative tasks as this year comes to a close, and start off the new year on this foundational footing that needs to be dealt with.

DECK USED:  SPOOKY CAT TAROT

 

Looking at the Big Picture

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Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long and focused upon taking time to formulate a reaction rather than simply jumping in with both feet and no thought.  The discussion in the guided meditation was primarily about family, and about dealing with family over the holidays.

Gratefully, I don’t have to deal with my own family over the holidays this year, as I’ve taken the opportunity to stay home for once…. other than Christmas dinner anyway, which I will be spending with J’s parents this year.

One thing that losing my voice has helped me with, though, is that reaction time.  Without the ability to respond verbally to others, I find that there is a forced pause in which to assess and re-think.  And, a lot of times?  I come to the conclusion that it’s just not worth it.  Whatever it is is not worth getting worked up over, or in some cases, the sheer effort it would take to actually express myself and my opinion or thoughts on the matter.

Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is a double without a jumper, meaning that both cards came out of the deck together as one.  The cards in today’s draw are the Two of Swords and the Two of Wands.

The cards in today’s draw speak of making choices, and how it’s neither looking inward for an answer, nor looking outward at your ambitions and drive for an answer, that is going to give you the best advice.   Instead, to find balance in life, you need to look at both.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in one perspective, that when planning our next steps along the path of our life, we forget to consider what lies beyond that one aspect.  Today’s draw is a reminder to look beyond what’s right in the forefront of your focus.   It’s a good reminder this close to the end of the year, and at the tail end of the holiday rush, when I’m beginning to plot my course forward into the year ahead.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  What should I leave behind as this year comes to a close?

This Might Hurt Tarot

Reading Summary:  Pride (The Emperor), and the constant drive to push myself beyond what is reasonable (Nine of Wands) to achieve my goals (King of Pentacles).

Take Away:  I can definitely admit that I hold a sense of pride in how hard I am able to push myself beyond what should be my limits in the pursuit of my goals concerning stability and security.  The thing is, though.  It’s not healthy, and I know that.   The cards are reminding me that I should leave that habit behind me as the year comes to a close. I know this, and even will try it for a while.   But I also know myself well enough to know I will return again and again to that workaholic drive.

DECK USED:  THIS MIGHT HURT TAROT

Alacrity Can’t Always Be Logical

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Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long and focused upon keeping in mind the temporary nature of negative emotions.

This is a practice that I use often, especially during my depression.   In fact, it is one of the things that very much helped me in getting hold of my suicidal urges during my Major Depressive Episodes prior to finding a medication that actually helped me with said urges.

The problem is that when you’re in the middle of a deep depression, it feels like it’s never going to end.  That darkness closes in and it feels like that is all there is and all there will ever be forever. Learning to accept that the experience is temporary, no matter how permanent it feels like it might be, gives you something to cling to.  And when there’s only room for one focus.  One thought.  One word…. “it’s temporary” becomes a mantra to get you through those darkest hours in the pit.

Ostara Tarot Today’s draw is the Knight of Swords, with the Eight of Wands as a jumper that fell out to land atop the Knight.   And that is a whole lot of action in the space of two cards, yeah?  Except what I’m seeing here is a bit of a mix between an intuitive hit and traditional meaning.

This is because what I see is that when I am feeling driven to act swiftly, sometimes you have to take your head out of the equation and act from the heart instead.   It doesn’t change the swiftness of the actions needed, but it is a shift in -where- that action comes from.   Sometimes, you have to listen to your heart and your gut, and set your mind aside so that what should be swift action doesn’t turn into conflict.

DECK USED:  OSTARA TAROT

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  How can I continue a practice of growth and healing moving forward?

New Era Elements Tarot

Reading Summary: Acknowledge your inner strength (Strength) and resiliency that will allow you to transition through changes in life (Two of Earth) without falling apart emotionally (Son of Water).

Take Away:  Change can suck.  Even when it’s good change, there’s often a feeling of struggle and anxiety involved in the process.   This stress can cause an emotional reaction, but as I learn to better understand and deal with my emotions, my inner strength will continue to grow and I will, in turn, be better prepared for future changes to come.

DECK USED:  NEW ERA ELEMENTS TAROT

Strength and Choice

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Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and focused on the Winter Solstice (aka Yule), which is today, and the theme of refreshing energies and rebirth that this part of the year is all about.

With the shortest day of the year coming to an end and the longest night soon to follow, now is a time to focus on bringing in positive energy to breathe fresh air through the stagnant and get things moving again that have been left to rest (or rot) through the fall.

After today, the days will start to become longer again, and more light will begin to illuminate each step forward toward spring.  It’s a holiday of hope, like a candle’s shimmering light shining in the darkness, and it was this hope that the meditation focused on.

Nine of Wands - Tarot of the Little Prince Today’s draw is the Nine of Wands, and this is the second time I have seen this card today, as it was also a part of my solstice reading that I did this morning.

The message this card conveys is one of choice.  Do I want to spend my time in a position of defense?  Is cringing away in fear ever really much of an option?  Today’s appearance of the Nine of Wands is a reminder that sometimes you have to take a stand, and sometimes you have to walk away… but there are always choices in every unpleasant situation, and you don’t have to lay down and take it like a beaten whelp.

As a one card draw looking for positivity, this draw doesn’t tell me what that situation is, but is instead a message of strength and independence, and encouragement to stand strong.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE LITTLE PRINCE

Bonus Reading – #TarotForGrowthDecember

Question:  What wound did I heal this year?

Tarot of the Hidden Folk

Reading Summary: Neglecting my inner needs (Eight of Swords) in order to chase after my constant ambition and spark of new ideas (Ace of Wands) and putting my own self care on the back burner (The Empress).

Take Away:  For most of my life, first with my education and then with my home business, I have pushed myself beyond what is reasonably okay, essentially sacrificing my needs on the altar of my ambition and drive.  This year I’ve worked to begin changing that and healing the inner neglect that has been systemic in my life for so long.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE HIDDEN FOLK