Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the King of Swords, which is traditionally a representation of a projective “alpha” energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, and communication. This often translates into themes that have to do with someone that has a way with words and is able to use those skills to lead others to their way of thinking, as well as those that are in authority on intellectual topics such as professors, doctors, etc.

The King of Swords has then been combined with the Vision card from The Oracle of the Soul Healing Messenger Cards, which says, “Break free from traditional thinking and embrace, open-mindedness and inclusivity. Explore different angles, gain deeper insights, and understand complex issues comprehensively.”

Yesterday we had a (brief) visitor to the Tarotholics server on Discord that had me thinking about the closed-mindedness of hatred. This person’s particular hatred was Christianity, and to be even more specific… Christians.

Now to be clear, I am not a Christian. I have never been a Christian, and I have very minimal experience and exposure to that religion compared to most of the North American population. Regardless of this fact, I know that there are good Christians out there, just as I know that there are bad ones. I know that not all Christians believe homosexuality is wrong, or that being trans is wrong, or are hypocrites about right and wrong in general.

This person did not know this apparently, or had closed themselves off from listening to and understanding these things. They were rude and abusive to Christians in the same way that bad actors in Christianity are to Pagans and individuals of other ideologies.

How is this okay? In my opinion? It isn’t, of course. They were removed from the server for their abusive rhetoric. But, it got me to thinking about hate, and how hate closes us off.

The message in today’s King of Swords and affirmation card is a reminder that hatred makes people look stupid and closed minded. It makes people unable to see beyond the narrow scope of their own perspective. Hatred isn’t progress, it isn’t strength, it doesn’t heal, and it isn’t cool looking or tough looking. It’s ugly and isolating, and diminishes one’s potential and power. It’s self abuse even as it fosters the potential for also doling out abuse on others. These cards remind us to look at any hate we harbor closely and seek out understanding instead of closing oneself of. Don’t generalize… dig deeper instead.

DECKS USED:  EGYPTIAN TAROT AND THE ORACLE OF THE SOUL HEALING MESSENGER CARDS

@lightningildflower‘s August Reflections Challenge
Prompts for August 9th and 10th

Mercury enters Leo – What truth do I need to passionately express?

Eight of Wands Rx atop The Star; Freeze Up Moon

When I am forced to go slow and bide my time, I worry I will lose the opportunity to grow things in the direction I want them to go. Hope does not feel like enough to sustain me during these moments.

A large part of the reason I tend to feel the urge to move quickly and decisively on those things and opportunities that matter to me is the fear that if I don’t, they will be taken away from me.

I’m not sure I’ve passionately expressed this truth, but it’s open and honest, and clearly needed to be out in the open.

Venus trine Pluto, Venus opposite Neptune – What deep desire is coming up for me?

Temperance; Rest and Cleansing Moon

You want to spend time with others, but on your own terms and doing those things that you want to do and enjoy. You would be far more enthusiastic about spending time with others if it could be about you once in a while, instead of always focused on everybody else’s needs and wants. You want those that you know love and care about you to try putting you first now and then, instead of always expecting you to put -them- first.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Labradorite for a Focus on Mental and Emotional Healing
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECKS USED: IGNIS ARCANAE THE FIRE TAROT AND SPIRIT OF THE WHEEL MEDITATION DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2026 Challenge
Prompt for August 10th : What can I do to help my inner child feel more protected?

Reading Summary: Offer an olive branch (Queen of Pentacles), but don’t expect it to be quickly or easily accepted (The Hermit Rx). Take your time and practice patience with them (Eight of Wands Rx).

Take Away: You’re inner child has a lot of defense mechanisms in place in an effort to protect themselves not just from the world at large, but from you as well. [Don’t try to protest, you know that negative inner narrative, not to mention the self abuse, punishment, neglect, and self-sabotage tendencies of yours are a thing. They have every right and reason to be wary.]

Offering acceptance and security will help them let you past these defenses to feel safe with you, but only if you’re willing to take it slow and have patience with the time it takes… regardless of how long that is or how incremental movement is in response to your efforts.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: EGYPTIAN TAROT

I didn’t really have the time to take a nap today… but I did it anyway.