#TheAugustTarot

Moments of Self-Generosity

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was a ten minute long self-directed session that focused on the Finnish concept of Oleilu, which is defined as “a calm, unhurried state of simply being, not about doing, achieving, or planning, but the quiet act of existing in the moment”. ( Graphic by @aesthetic_logophile )

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

Life Line Tarot's Six of Pentacles@FatMumSlim August #FMSPAD Challenge
Prompt for August 3rd : Shapes in the Clouds | #FMS_CLOUDSHAPES25
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of charity, generosity, sharing the wealth, asking for or accepting help, and balancing the scales between the “haves” and the “have nots” in life.

Are you able to sit for a few moments of nothing? Are you able to take a deep breath, let it out slow, shut down your mind, and just be for a time?

If not, you’re not alone. Giving ourselves the space to do these moments of quiet stillness is difficult when life is busy and we have so much to do and so many issues to sort through. It’s easier to be generous to others than to ourselves in a world that tells us that we are never doing (or being) enough. So we push when we need to rest. Over time this push for more becomes habit, and we can’t turn it off even when we need to.

If we truly want to practice generosity, though, we need to learn how to give it to ourselves. We need to learn how to take a moment of stillness and tell our brains to shut up and butt out.

Today’s messages is an encouragement to start this process of generosity with yourself. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and listen to a beautiful song all the way through from beginning to end. Lie down and look up at the clouds and seek out shapes in them with your imagination. Sit and watch the journey of an ant going about its day. Examine and admire the intricate veins of a leaf.

Use these moments as a way to give yourself a break and shut down the litany of demands your brain is constantly running in the background. It doesn’t have to be a long pause, even just a minute or three will do. The generosity you give to yourself in these moments is in each time we try.

DECK USED:  LIFE LINE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2025 Challenge
Prompt for August 3rd : Do Spread 1 – Physical Aspects

The Elder Animals Oracle Reading

Seeds Sown – What seeds for my physical health & growth planted in the Spring have flourished and grown strong?

Elder Coyote – The efforts that you began in the spring to add more flexibility to your body through the extra morning stretches you’ve added to your physiotherapy routine have started to pay off. Although it’s slow going, this practice is beginning to allow you to identify the places that need more work, and sort them out from those that were able to recover more quickly.

The Chaff – What seeds have not flourished and need to be let go to encourage healthy growth in other areas?

Elder Swan – You’re never going to be 100% happy with yourself and how you look in the mirror. The scars and damage can be acknowledged as a type of strength, but are never going to appeal to the aesthetic of your eye. Your weight is always going to be a problem as well. It’s time to accept that these things don’t really matter. Those who love you love you just the way that you are, flaws and all. Work on loving yourself as they do.

The Harvest – How can I best prepare now to reap the benefits of a positive and healthy harvest in the Fall?

Elder Wolf – Protect your energy. Summer is supposed to be a time of rest and recharge for you, where you recuperate from the busy time of the year and, as Fall approaches, you begin preparing for the busy season to come. Make sure that you are protecting your energy by resting when you need to rest, as well as by beginning to make those items you can make ahead of time for the busy season to come so that you will not be so stressed when the rush is upon you.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Cedar Smoke Cleansing Bundle for Protection
Tumbled Agate for a Mindset of Purity and Innocence
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: THE ANIMAL ELDERS ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I cried.

Seeking Joy By Letting Go

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was a self-directed ten minute session, focused upon the theme of Doubt from the included Az Oracle card by @Sunni_Chapman and a quote from the guidance that came with it.

That guidance says, “…it’s not the road (the means or the method) that you need to mind so much as the decision and intention behind that road. What do you want to see and feel on your road? What kind of scenery do you want to take in on the way?”

There’s a lot of uncertainty in my life right now, especially around my livelihood.  My meditation for the day was focused on reconnecting and centering myself on my path and what I want to achieve through that path I’ve chosen.  It’s a reiteration of a message I’ve received a lot over the past few days, which is to say… focus upon what is under your control, and let go of the rest that you can’t do anything about.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

Whimsical Realm of Oddities Tarot's The Hanged Man and The Az Oracle@FatMumSlim August #FMSPAD Challenge
Prompt for August 2nd : A Quiet Joy | #FMS_QUIETJOY25
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Hanged Man card, which is traditionally a representation of taking a pause, considering alternate perspectives, relaxing into difficult situations, surrender, or letting go.

It can be  hard to sit with your thoughts and feelings sometimes. They can feel overwhelming and, at least for me? When I’m feeling overwhelmed my natural inclination is to try and shut it all down. That means that in meditation, during these times sitting in silence with an empty mind is a piece of cake.

Harder is sitting in silence with those emotions, thoughts, and concerns.  Sitting in silence and acknowledging my fears and worries.  Sitting in silence and not allowing them to spiral out of control, but to just -sit- with them and let them have a moment of acknowledgement.

Sometimes this means I end up crying.  Sometimes, I can’t stand it and have to stop.  Sometimes… I can’t actually keep things from spiraling in my brain.  I understand, though, that these quiet moments are important.  They allow time to acknowledge my fears, feelings, and anxieties, which is the first step to sorting through them and actually dealing with them… instead of burying them so that they fester beneath the surface.

The message for today is to remember that even in these times when those quiet moments aren’t peaceful? There’s benefit.  They are a necessary part of our path to joy, as it’s after we acknowledge these fears and open to them that their weight begins to ease and our heart to lighten. Today’s card is an encouragement to not hide from what needs to be seen.  Make space to allow it to come forward, and acknowledge it so that it can continue on and pass on by.  That way, the path is open, unblocked even, for that joy in life that we’re all seeking to savor.

DECK USED: WHIMSICAL REALM OF ODDITIES TAROT AND THE AZ ORACLE

@Lionharts #TheAugustTarot Leo Season Challenge
Prompt for August 1st : Strength Opening Spread

The Strength Oracle Reading with the Banksy Wisdom Cards

What strength am I guided to embrace as my foundation this Leo season?

Breaking the Rules – You are very good at being yourself against all odds. Guilt and peer pressure rarely have the influence over you that others think that they will (although, this boundary has been a bit more mushy lately than you’d like). This individuality comes from knowing yourself and being able to follow your own inner compass without question. This is a skill that you need to tap into this Leo season.

How can I move through this Leo season with grace and confidence?

Embrace the World – Expect others to let “you do you”, and you do the same in return for them. Just because something is not for you doesn’t mean it’s not perfect for them and vice versa. Embrace the differences that make each of us unique, and remember to mind your own business when people aren’t doing things “your way”.

What heart-led action am I being called to take in devotion to myself?

Necessary Selfishness – As mentioned above, you do you, and if others don’t like it? Too damn bad. Remember that you don’t have to make excuses for yourself, no matter who it is that’s offended or put out by your authenticity.

Other elements included in this reading:
Carved Bamboo for Positive Outcomes
Black Spruce needles to Boost Self-Confidence and Positive Thinking
Dried Purple Heather Flowers for Independence and Luck
Clear Quartz Man in the Moon for Amplification of Lunar Energies
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: BANKSY WISDOM CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

I had the most amazing apple today.  It’s been a long time since I’ve ate an apple, and I’m not really a fruit person, but… it was perfect and I really enjoyed it. I savored every bite.

It’s Your Life

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and a self directed session based on a reminder note recently posted by @primaltrust_official (not an endorsement) that states “We heal not just when we ‘feel better,’ but when we learn how to hold space for what still hurts with love instead of fear.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌻    •    ◈    •    •    •

Wild Waters Edge Tarot - The Hermit@FatMumSlim August #FMSPAD Challenge
Prompt for August 1st : Under My Feet | #FMS_UNDERMYFEET25
Daily Mental Health Prompt: Seek a positive message to carry with you throughout the day and offer perspective.

Today’s draw is the Hermit card, which is traditionally a representation of solitude, self reflection and introspection, alone time, and inner guidance.

At the end of the day? Your path through life is just that… yours. No one else can make decisions for you, instead it’s important to delve deep within yourself to figure out what is right for you.

Sure, others in our lives contribute influence, especially in our formative years as children, but at some point we have to take onus for our lives, what we do with them, and who we ultimately become. And, to connect with who we are and who we want to become takes self-a reflection and authenticity.

Today’s message is that as adults, the path under our feet belongs to us, and so do the choices we make, as well as those we refuse to make or allow others to make for us. This message encourages us to take moments of self reflection to tune into who we are, where we want our path to lead, and who we want to become.

DECK USED:  WILD WATERS EDGE TAROT OF THE NORTHWOODS

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2025 Challenge
Prompt for August 2nd : First Harvest Spread

Oracle of the Mystic Muse Oracle Reading

Calves – How can I better express my needs and vulnerabilities to welcome in nurturing assistance?

The Message – Accept that you can’t be good at everything. You can be better at being vulnerable, though, if you’re willing to communicate your way through it instead of retreating to hide yourself away in the dark.

Corn – How can I foster the gift of greater long-term prosperity in my life?

Free Spirit – Shift your perspective to view prosperity as more than a monetary thing. Seek out other ways in which you are fortunate, and how you can increase and sustain wealth in those areas.

Peridot – Where can greater focus and clarity draw out more joy in my life?

The Muse – The places and things that inspire you are where you excel at finding joy. Focus on those things that you really enjoy and that inspire you, rather than just trudging along with what had to be done and/or need doing.

Golden Topaz – How can more authentic self-exploration improve how I see the world?

Magic – One view transforms the other. Just like a rainy day can be refreshing when in a good mood, or miserably wet when in a bad mood; internal narratives shift external perceptions and perspectives. The more you understand authentic self, the more sense the world begins to make and the easier it is to deal with those parts of it that don’t.

Crow – What message from beyond have I been ignoring that it’s time to acknowledge?

Shadow – You still have plenty to sort through that’s buried in those deep, dark places within you, but don’t let digging through the dark make you miss out on the beauty that’s right in front of you day after day. You can balance both, and in doing so, the beauty will make those shadows easier to deal with.

Basil – What risk or danger in my life is it time to take seriously?

The Mission – Make sure if you’re going to gallop, that you’re galloping in the right direction. Are you running away from something? Is fear driving you? If not, why are you running? These are important questions you need to ask yourself, and seek sincere answers to.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Gneiss Wishing Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: INNER CHILD HEALING ORACLE OF THE MYSTIC MUSE

Daily Self Kindness

Another day without news. I’m not sure if it’s helping, but I thought I’d give it another go.

Emotional Tools

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🌱    •    ◈    •    •    •

Peculiar Pathways Tarot's King of Cups and and It’s Going To Be Okay 2024 Day-to-day Calendar By Kate AllanToday’s draw is the King of Cups combined with the affirmation “You are both strong and smart enough to handle everything you’ve got going on today.”

The cards for today are a reminder that you have grown and develop more skills and tools to help you emotionally than you think that you have. You may often feel like a novice, and maybe compared to others you still are, but you are leaps and bounds beyond where you started.

You simply need to remember to use these new skills and abilities that you have developed, rather than falling back on old unhealthy habits of the past.

DECK USED: PECULIAR PATHWAYS TAROT AND IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY 2024 DAY-TO-DAY CALENDAR BY KATE ALLAN

#DiscordTarotholicsAug2023 Challenge Prompt
Lionharts #TheAugustTarot Challenge Prompt
Prompt for August 31 : Grab a spread of your choice that you’ve been curious about… and give it a go!

Bring Out the Lion Tarot Reading with the Peculiar Pathways Tarot and Flow Ogham Oracle

What area of my life is calling for a bold and rebellious approach?

Six of Coins and Muin – Be vocal about what you need, and be firm in expressing what you are willing to offer. This card is as much about give and take as it is about boundaries. Make both your needs and boundaries clear, sharing with others what you are able to give as well as what you need from them in turn.

How can I answer or honor that call?

Six of Cups and Coll – Pay attention to the tools others are using to bend your boundaries out of shape. Your past is often being used against you, and it’s only through watching closely and awareness that you’ll be able to see when and where that is happening. Awareness of this cycle can help you in breaking it.

What aspect of my comfort zone is holding me back?

The Fool Rx and The Circle – It is not within your comfort zone to act foolish, be silly, or pursue happiness. This reluctance is holding you back from the things that you need most right now. (Such as getting out in nature to frolic in liminal spaces.)

How can I step out of my comfort zone to explore new paths?

Queen of Swords and Úr – Lean into the transitions taking place with you right now. The shift of energy is positive and needed. Don’t just take time to savor it and enjoy it, but look beyond that to the practical as well, and use these changes to your advantage.

DECK USED: PECULIAR PATHWAYS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had some extra cuddle time with Miss Luna today. Yesterday was such a stressful day that I felt I really needed the extra rest, and allowed myself to have it.

🌕 Full Moon in Aquarius – August 2024

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today is the full moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @Lionharts #theaugusttarot.

Full Moon in Aquarius Tarot Reading with the Little Bird Tarot and Animal Spirits of the Sacred Isles Oracle

How can I embrace my inner rebel during this Full Moon?

The High Priestess and Toad – Don’t allow irritation pull you off your intuition’s voice.  You need to listen to that inner knowing and do what -you- know is right rather than allowing others to badger, bug, or otherwise harass you into taking a path you know in your gut is not right for you.

What steps can I take to break free from restrictive patterns?

Eight of Cups and Snake – When something doesn’t feel right, don’t stick around just because others expect you to or you expect yourself to bear it out. Instead, look for those toxic things in your life, and as they come to your attention get rid of them… even when those might actually be people.

What change is necessary to pave a new path that aligns with me?

Eight of Swords and Salmon – You need to open your eyes and start working on seeing your environment with more clarity, rather than hiding from the harmful things that are right in front of you that you are choosing to willfully ignore.

Full Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

The Star and Mouse – Make sure you are leaning into positivity and optimism, so that the threat of depression stays in the background instead of coming to the fore.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flower for Soothing Energies and Calm during Transitions
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Ceramic Pine Tips Impression for Protection
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Picture Jasper for a Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
Hand Crafted Goat as sympathetic representation of Amalthea

DECK USED: LITTLE BIRD TAROT AND ANIMAL SPIRITS OF THE SACRED ISLES ORACLE

🌑 New Moon in Leo – August 2024

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

The new moon is upon us!  Like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is courtesy of @Lionharts #theaugusttarot.

New Moon in Leo Tarot Reading with the Tarot of the Forest Witch

What heart’s desire should I manifest during this New Moon?

Wheel of Fortune atop Justice – Spin the wheel on cause-and-effect and take a chance that the consequences you predict coming to pass won’t actually be the result. You don’t have to play things so safe and close to the vest all the time.

What intentions should I set under the New Moon in Leo?

Chariot – It’s time to start moving again. The languishing and dawdling about has been a nice respite and needed rest, but to grow and thrive you also need to lean in to hard work in order to steer things in the direction you want them to go.

How can I align my actions with my hearts true desires?

Judgment – Remember where you are going and who you want to have become when you get there. Regrets don’t always come from doing something against your nature, but sometimes in standing back and not doing something that down the line you’ll wish you had.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

Temperance – Just because it’s time to start moving again doesn’t mean it’s time to rush or push yourself. Small steps.

Other elements included in this reading:
Conch Shell Knot for Concentration and Clarity
Citrine for for Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy
Hand Crafted Goat as sympathetic representation of Amalthea

DECK USED: TAROT OF A FOREST WITCH