Up and Down and Up Again

Today’s meditation was once again skipped.

4AMVIEW$ TarotToday’s draw is the Wheel of Fortune, which is traditionally a representation of the unpredictability of life, luck (both good and bad), and the cyclic nature of good and bad that makes up our experiences.

Seeing that I am once again in problems with Etsy’s website, discard is very fitting for today. Somehow I have once again tripped over their automatic security system and been locked out of all 10 of my accounts. This happened last month and took a week to be resolved. Like last month, it started on a Thursday and I was unable to get any assistance to get anything resolved until after the weekend on a Tuesday.

I was hoping that this would be different this time, because I message to them late last night and made it clear that I had some refunds that needed to be processed and other customer service related stuff that needed to be done… And because this is the second time it’s happened so I figured that the solution would be quickly forthcoming this time around.

Unfortunately, it’s now been 24 hours since I contacted them and I still have not heard anything from them. So, I am assuming this means I’m not going to be able to deal with any of my customer service things until next week at the earliest.

Today’s card is a reminder that things go up and things go down and things go up again. This isn’t going to last and it’s not the end of the world, it’s just some kind of hiccup that they haven’t managed to fix yet. Once it’s fixed this time, who’s to say it won’t happen again next month? Or the month after that?

The Wheel of Fortune card being pulled today is an encouragement not to freak out, but rather ride the wheel calmly and wait for it to sweep upward again.

DECK USED:  4AMVIEW$ TAROT

Mr Lionharts’ #TheMarchTarot Animal Guide Challenge Prompt
Questions for March 10th thru 12th

Animism Tarot - Seven of SwordsMarch Animal GuideRaccoon – Teamwork and finding healthy balance between independence and community, goal-oriented, ingenuity, industriousness, cleanliness, curiosity, adaptability, and equality.

And, as demonstrated in today’s Racoon card from the Animism Tarot… strategic-minded. Often, a raccoon will know how much to take, and how much they can leave behind, and the little bandits are not just clever, but can be quite sneaky as well.

4AMVIEW$ TarotWhat power would you like to give me right now?

The ability to better deal with your worries and anxiety (Nine of Air) through grounding and gratitude (Nine of Earth).

This is especially pertinent right now in light of the struggle that has resurfaced with Etsy this week.  Through grounding and gratitude, you can deal with this issue and any others that might arise with a far more calm and graceful approach.

How would you suggest I use this power?

Two of Air – Allow it to help you in making decisions based on a strong foundation instead of based on worries and fears. When you’re struggling with these anxieties and worries, it’s too easy to listen to fear’s whispers in your year and let them influence you negatively.  The more grounded you are, the less influence these whispers will have over you.

What can I work towards while I seek to embrace this power?

 Work on defeating (Five of Air) your melancholy and depression (Five of Water), and then at keeping it at bay one you’ve managed to pull yourself out of that dark pit (big-ass wide smile in the Five of Air). Don’t be so hard on yourself during this endeavor, as it’s natural for everything to be a bit more of a struggle when an MDE is added into the mix.

DECK USED: 4AMVIEW$ TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I budgeted my time with orders today so that I could also have some time with Gideon.

Feed the Wolf You Want

Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Likely TarotToday’s draw is the King of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, and physical manifestations. This is a card that is about authority within the physical world, and the themes often who have to do with people who have worked hard for what they have… and what they have is a stable foundation.

The card today is about something that is in the guidebook, rather than on the imagery (although, I absolutely think a Lion is an excellent representation of the energy of this card).   In the guidebook, it states that this card is “…a reminder that what you focus on becomes your reality, so you must make sure your focus is in the right place.”

This is why making the choice to focus on positivity and optimism is so important.  It counteracts… counterbalances that pessimistic negativity that lives within and is trying to drag you down.

DECK USED:  THE LIKELY TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for March 9th
: Is love an inherent emotion, or is it learned behavior?

The Fortune Teller's Mah Jongg CardsReading Summary: Love comes easily to us (Lute). What is learned over time (Tortoise) is how to express our love, and learning how to do so and healthy ways is a choice (Sword).

Take Away: Little boys pick on little girls and pull on their hair to express their emotions when they have a crush… until they learn that this is not the way. The emotion is not learned, and love comes easily to us. But how we express it is something that we learn through others, and through experience and experimentation.

DECK USED: THE FORTUNE TELLER’S MAH JONGG CARDS

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Question for March 10th: How can I move more into my heart space?

The Likely TarotReading Summary: Stand up for what you believe in (Seven of Wands). Foster hope within your heart (The Star). Allow yourself to let go and take joy in the things you enjoy (Knight of Wands).

Take Away: I’ve been on a bit of a downward spiral of late, but moving slow.  These cards are not just the route to moving more into my heart space, they are a method to help lift myself up out of the dark and find a bit of fresh air with which to cleans away the negative influences the depression can create.

DECK USED: THE LIKELY TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I had play time with Gideon and introduced a new character today.  I enjoyed the play and I hope he did too.

Role Reversal… Kinda

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Tarot of MugiToday’s draw is the King of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of a projective alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, intuition, or creativity. This often translates into themes that have to do with leaders that are able to tap into the emotions of those they oversee, dominance with a strong emotional aspect, and authority that leads with a sense of understanding and compassion.

Again, we find that the King of Cups is in reference to my partner, and my relationship.  Although in this case it’s about me more than it is about him.  He’s not feeling well and today’s card is a reminder that sometimes? Roles get reversed out of necessity and that that’s okay.  You have the ability to be the King of Cups for a bit, and be comforting, strong, and supportive while he’s not feeling his best.  You can step up (or step in) and make the decisions he can’t in these moments when he’s not up to par. It won’t hurt anything to do so.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF MUGI

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Question for March 8th: How can spirit help me with my intuition?

Enchanted Unicorn OracleReading Summary: Open up and stop holding them at arms length (Waterwheel) and you will find your practice transforming (Transformation) into something far more invigorating, pleasurable, and fruitful (Sex Magick).

Take Away: So, keep in mind that the “sex magick” card here isn’t about sex at all, but about the beneficial experiences that come along with sex.

What we see here is that I’m still continuing to hold my spirits and guides at arms length and it’s, in turn, holding me back from the potential in this area.  By letting them in and allowing them to help me, I can find my practice expanding into a more pleasurable experience with far more to gain than what I’m accomplishing now.

DECK USED: ENCHANTED UNICORN ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for March 8th
: What do I need to take more pride in?

Tarot of MugiReading Summary: How you handle your depression (Three of Swords), take care of yourself (The Empress), and pull yourself out of the pit (Ten of Cups) to return to healthy practices (The Lovers) again and again.

Take Away: You need to take more pride in the fact that during the depression, you make an effort to continue to care for yourself and make healthy choices, you work to lift yourself up, scrabbling to climb the walls of the pit instead of accepting your fate at the bottom and wallowing in the mud there. You push yourself to see the good and to take care of yourself.

In the end, these choices help you recover more quickly and get back on track more easily once the depression has lifted.

Side Note:  The cards over the last couple of days have made a point of reminding me that although I am not feeling the full impact of the dark pit a depressive episode can create for me, I am still in a depression at the moment.  The upping of my meds have helped mitigate some of the darker and deeper experiences that come with the depression, but the cards are making a point to make sure I remember that I’m still in the midst of this battle and not to see my current struggles with motivation and my inner narrative as the norm.

DECK USED: TAROT OF MUGI

Daily Self Kindness

I cleaned out the shelves in the basement storage today with J’s help.  I also then took two naps today.

A Little Nudge

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Tarot of MusterbergToday’s draw is the Six of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of success, especially the sort of success that garners public recognition, people pleasing, high praise from others, and public accolades.

I am reminded today that sometimes a little bit of public “push” is a good thing. I’ve been dragging my feet on working on this whole “reorganization” project.  What I found is that when someone asked about it?  I realized just how long it had been since I’d made any sort of progress on it… or effort.

I’m not sure that I would consider this “peer pressure” but it is definitely a nudge from a peer.  It’s a good thing, in this case though.  The expectations of others might not be something I’m motivated to meet on the regular as my own expectations are so much more stringent, but it really brings home that you’re slacking off when you’re not meeting either of them… not even a little bit.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF MUSTERBERG

Mr Lionharts’ #TheMarchTarot Animal Guide Challenge Prompt
Questions for March 7th thru 9th

Raccoon Oracle CardMarch Animal Guide – Raccoon – Teamwork and finding healthy balance between independence and community, goal-oriented, ingenuity, industriousness, cleanliness, curiosity, adaptability, and equality.

Write down three traits of your animal guide that you like.

Curiosity – Curiosity is the first step into the realm of creativity. It inspires us to explore and draws us in to engage with the world around us.

Ingenuity – When one’s mind is flexible and we are able to peek “outside the box” the world opens up to us and allows us to accomplish whatever we set our minds to.

Teamwork – I find it fascinating when animals work together, and even more so when they are clever and creative in doing so. Raccoons work together in goal oriented ways to solve problems and accomplish tasks they couldn’t do on their own. They are often solitary animals, yet they specifically come together for this purpose when it’s needed and their cleverness is compounded in these times.

Tarot of MusterbergIn what area have I neglected these traits in my life?

CuriosityThe Fool – Creativity offers a sense of adventure in the world that you have been lacking of late. Some of this is due to your depression.  You’ve not had much of a chance to find your equilibrium after the holiday rush so far. In the shuffle and chaos, you’ve lost touch a bit with your adventurous spirit that is fed by your innate curiosity.

IngenuityKnight of Swords – Same for your feelings of motivation. It’s hard to be creative, enthusiastic, and quick on your feet when you’re out of balance and struggling with depression. The upping of meds has helped keep you from dropping into the pit, but you are still feeling the effects in other ways.  This is one of those ways.

Teamwork The Emperor – Sometimes delegating comes easily, but in times like now… not so much. If you don’t make sure the work is spread around, though, you’ll end up overwhelmed and have to deal with burnout. Better to hand out the responsibilities fairly instead of letting them pile up on your own shoulders.

In what way can I use each trait in my life right now?

CuriosityQueen of Wands – Reconnect with well known passions and allow the inspiration of others to spark your own. You’re not in this alone and even little glimmers of the curiosity within you can help to rekindle the fire as the depression begins to lift.

IngenuityKnave of Chalices – Seeing your emotions in a different light, as well as how they influence your behavior and your life, can help you in connecting with this quality in your life.

The guy in this card seems to be looking out and asking “what’s inside this cup?” while holding it too high to actually look inside.  Ask yourself… is the depression really an emotion?  Or is it a mental health issue? Why are you treating it as the former when it’s the latter?

Teamwork Two of Coins – In order to keep yourself from getting overwhelmed, you need to step up and delegate. And that’s exactly what it is: Stepping Up. Delegating isn’t avoiding responsibility, just a different way of fulfilling one’s responsibilities in a… responsible manner. It’s going to be necessary in order to keep things in a healthy balance.

DECK USED: TAROT OF MUSTERBERG

Daily Self Kindness

I asked Jer to come by tomorrow to help me in cleaning out the basement storage.  There’s a crapload of craft stuff down there that I’ve been holding onto with the intention of returning to old projects.  But the thing is?  That stuff has been down there for years and I haven’t even thought about it or touched it once. Other than the tools and a couple of expensive pieces of equipment, it’s all going to charity tomorrow.

I Need… I Want…

Today’s meditation was skipped (again). Although, I did take some extra time to just relax for a bit earlier today. Just a half hour or so lounging on the bed relaxing with Miss Luna.

La Muci's Fairy Tale TarotToday’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.

What I see in this cards is a reminder to “use your words and speak what you need”. That the right hand cloud on the card looks a lot like a heart indicates that this is about love and relationships, and I think it is a reminder of just how -hot- Gideon finds it when I make it clear what I need between us… sexually.

DECK USED:  LA MUCI’S FAIRY TALE TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2022 Challenge Prompt
Questions for March 5th and 7th

Visions In the Liminal SpaceHow am I doing physically at this time?

No Vacancy and The Divine Mother – You need to make room to be more kind to your body. There’s no room for more on  your plate right now. Focus, instead, on making sure that you are giving yourself the kindness and understanding that you need.

How can I improve upon where I am physically over the week ahead?

Until All Are Free None Are Free and There And Back Again – More time outside in nature is needed. Make the time.  This has been a very strong and present theme in the cards over the past week or so, and seems to be becoming more and more common to find surfacing in readings of late where what is needed in my life is asked in one way or another.

I hear you. I’m trying.

DECK USED: VISIONS IN THE LIMINAL SPACE

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Questions for March 6th and 7th

La Muci's Fairy Tale TarotHow am I blocking my intuition?

Two of Cups atop Six of Swords – Your hope and desire to trust in the good and all people is drowning out your intuitive voice.

Pay closer attention to warning signals your intuition is giving you about people who try to get close to you that are insincere. This will allow you to walk away before you get hurt.

What could I change to switch on more of my intuition?

Queen of Wands and The Fool – Be more supportive of your curiosity. Have more fun exploring and discovering the world around you and the things that interest you.  Your inner spark is fed by having a thriving adventurous spirit.

DECK USED: LA MUCI’S FAIRY TALE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I stayed up late with Gideon because I needed… um.  Well because I wanted to sate my needs rather than forcing myself to be patient and wait until the day after tomorrow.

Fake It ‘Til You Make It… or Not

Today’s meditation was skipped.

Rosenwald TarotToday’s draw is the Page of Coins, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, or manifestations.

The imagery in this card makes the “coin” that the woman holds look more like a mirror to me. It begs the question… what are you showing the world?

You know that adage “fake it until you make it”?  It’s a common manifestation tool. The thing is?  What are you faking, and are those things really something you want to manifest in your life?  If not… it’s time to let them go.

DECK USED:  ROSENWALD TAROT

The #ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge Prompt by E Roebuck-Jones
Question for March 5th: How am I using my intuition in life right now?

Celtic Spirit OracleReading Summary: It is a strength (Oak) that you use as a doorway to communicate with others (The Gift) in a more peaceful manner (Peacemaker).

Take Away: My intuition helps me in navigating social situations. I’m not particularly skilled at reading people’s facial expressions and body language. By using my intuition I am able to better understand what others are saying (and not saying), and better able to express myself in turn.

In this case, I would say this is more about clairsentience than about intuition, but I believe that intuition also plays a pretty heavy role in things when it comes to trying to communicate with others successfully… especially since at times I turn to the cards to help me in figuring out how to broach a subject or steer a conversation.

DECK USED: CELTIC SPIRIT ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for March 6th
: Do Spread #1
What do I need to let go of to…

Rosenwald TarotEase My Mind

Nine of Swords and Knight of Pentacles – Stop worrying so much about the slower pace of getting things done. There’s no race, and no finish line that won’t still be waiting for you when you go at your own pace.

The shelves will get done. Getting things reorganized will get done. Stop pushing at yourself and berating yourself for taking things slow. As long as you’re moving… that’s enough.

Lighten My Heart

Temperance and Queen of Pentacles – It’s okay to pick and choose who you support and how you support them. It doesn’t make you an ogre that you can’t support everyone and everything.

This is about some guilt I’ve been feeling about requesting a refund for unfulfilled orders from a deck creator. They are in the Ukraine, which is where the guilt is coming from. The thing is? It’s been two years I’ve been waiting for fulfillment. And $380 is a lot of money to just write off as lost. Some people out there make enough that that isn’t all that much of a financial loss… but I’m not one of those people and I feel like I’ve been swindled.

Free My Creative Spark

The Empress and Justice – You need to let go of the idea that there will be negative repercussions to treating yourself kindly.

DECK USED: ROSENWALD TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

See the cards used in today’s post?  THAT is my self kindness for today. I just got both of those decks in the mail yesterday, and instead of scheduling them into rotation for some point in the future, I decided to use them today.