The Overburdened Donkey

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Eli Yamashita Animal Oracle's Ten of Wands and Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion CardsToday’s draw is the Ten of Wands, which is which is traditionally a representation of overwhelm, burnout, struggling under too much responsibility, and can indicate a need to do some prioritizing and delegation.

There’s merit to the proverb “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”, and I’m totally guilty of this.

I often pile too much onto my plate when it comes to tasks and responsibilities, believing that I’m not just capable but *more* than capable of taking it all on, “No problem!”

Yes. Problem.

Just because we may be capable of taking it all on doesn’t mean that we should. This is how overwhelm and burnout slip in, and eventually become a problem. [Interesting side note: Studies show that it takes more than times longer to recover from burnout than we usually expect it to take.]

The message of the Proud Parrot and the overburdened donkey in the Ten of Wands is a reminder not to let pride convince you to pile on too much for you to comfortably carry. Not “more than you can handle”, but too much for you to comfortably carry. There’s miles and miles of separation between the two.

DECK USED:  ELI YAMASHITA’S ANIMAL TAROT AND LITTLE OTTER’S MINDFUL KIDS EMOTION CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsMay2025 Challenge
Prompt for May 31
: Grab a spread of your choice you’re curious about… and give it a go!

Eli Yamashita Animal Oracle's Ten of Wands and Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion Cards

In what ways am I ready to grow and change?

Statue – It’s time to accept that stagnancy may be well known and comfortable, but it is not your friend. Look at the person you wish to become, and in times when you are tempted to languish, return to this visage. Feed yourself what you need to grow towards that person, instead of languishing in moments of stagnancy that delay your growth and development.

What resistance do I feel toward making these changes?

Peuple de Samar – You are retreating instead of adapting, primarily because you are unable to protect yourself from outside influences while within your home. The erection of the building behind yours has created this issue, and that issue is becoming more clear and prevalent over time. This inability is making you sick, which in turn is making it harder to do the things that are healthy for yourself and those around you.

What will sustain me through this time of growth?

Bol Chantant en Cristal – Make sure that you are engaging with the world around you and those within it in a spirit of the positivity and optimism. This is a focus that you have been working to instill into your life over the past couple of years, and you need to lean into it a bit harder. Love and peace are the answer, not all that discordant crap your negative inner narrative keeps spouting at you.

What new possibilities await me?

Gardien – Introspection can increase your ability to better hone your limits and boundaries so that they can better fit who you are, who you want to be, and your needs. Don’t forget to look within, and to be honest with yourself not just about your flaws, but about your needs as well.

Other elements included in this reading:
Pressed Pansy Flowers for for Hearing the Heart More Clearly
Rose Quartz for Gentle Kindness to Self and Others
Desert Rose for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: L’ORACLE DES ESPRITS DE LA NATURE

Daily Self Kindness

I wore a face mask outside today while working outside so that my allergies wouldn’t trigger full blown.   I still had a little bit of itchy eyes, but on the whole it was much better than it otherwise would have been.

Seeking Inspiration

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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The BirdQueen Tarot's Princess of Wands, Page of Wands, and Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion CardsToday’s draw is the Princess (Page) of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive omega energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s drive, willpower, determination, passions, values and principles, motivations, and inner spark.

This often translates into themes concerning starting over, as the journey through the suit of Wands brings you to a conclusion in the Ten of Wands with being overly burdened, and then the Page comes after with his burden set down and ready to begin again and do things better the second time around.

Did you know that octopi are extremely intelligent? They have the capacity to learn, remember faces, problem solve, process complex information, play, hold grudges, and have even definitively displayed vindictive behavior. They explore the world with an open and curious mind, showing us that even invertebrates of the sea can contain within them great cognitive potential.

The combination of the Page of Wands  and the Shy Octopus card is a reminder to make sure that you are approaching the world with openness and curiosity. Even those of us who are shy or reclusive need stimulation in our lives. Spread your wings. Seek out those things that trigger your interest and bring rise to your curiosity. So let yourself dive into these rabbit holes, and see where they lead. This is where the spice of life resides, and how we find those things that truly inspire us.

DECK USED:  BIRDQUEEN TAROT AND LITTLE OTTER’S MINDFUL KIDS EMOTION CARDS

#detarotjufmeitarotchallenge Tea With the Queens Challenge by @de_tarotjuf
Tea with the Queen of Pentacles : Grounding and Materials
Prompts for May 29 – 31

Oracle Reading with the Sisters of the Sea OracleWhat practical step can I take to realize my dreams?

The Next Part – Don’t allow yourself to get bogged down in stagnancy. There is a difference between the mindfulness of being in the present, or wallowing in unhealthy stillness. Make sure it is the former that you are partaking in, and let the latter go.

What do I value most in my life right now?

Destiny – One of the things that you value most in life at the moment is the fact that you don’t always have to be at the helm to get where you’re going. Some things are going to work out a certain way no matter what and you don’t have to fight to get them there, just keep moving.

How can I use my talents to help others?

The Storm – You are often a moment of stability in others’ storms. Your words and sometimes just your presence gives them the footing needed to keep going on their path in times when they might otherwise linger in the storm or its aftermath instead of moving onward.

Other elements included in this reading:
Aventurine Leaf Medallion for Harmony and Balance of the Heart
Shiva Shell Heart for Wisdom and Discernment
Seashells for a Greater Connection to the Sea’s Wisdom
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: SISTERS OF THE SEA ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

I got both the air conditioners cleaned, set up, and running today.

Exploring Life… Together

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion Cards and Mythos Tarot's Ten of Cups - NaiadsToday’s draw is the Ten of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of feelings of completion, connection with others and harmony in those connections, and is often considered as the “happy family” card.

Curiosity is better when explored together with those in you rlife that make you happy and provide you with a sense of togetherness and well-being.

These people are your family. Not necessarily the family you’re born with, but the family that nurtures your growth and supports you and your aspirations.

This tribe of people are the ones to go exploring with, learn new things with, even fail with… for they are the ones who will support you through good times and bad, making even the worst of times just a little bit better.

The Ten of Cups and “family” aspect of the Naiads combined with the Curious Giraffe card is an encouragement to seek out and appreciate these people in your life. Take a moment to acknowledge their contribution to your life and happiness.

DECK USED:  MYTHOS TAROT

#detarotjufmeitarotchallenge Tea With the Queens Challenge by @de_tarotjuf
Tea with the Queen of Pentacles : Grounding and Materials
Prompts for May 25 – 28

Oracle Reading with the Tarot of the Hidden Realm and With Love Little Pig & Little Bunny Postcard SetWhat do I need to feel more centered?

Nine of Swords and I Can Disappear – Centering, for you, requires more assurance that when you make connections that you value, they aren’t just going to disappear from your life.

Remember that lasting friendships are hard to find, and focus on those you already have instead of worrying about newer ones that might come and go.

How can I better manage my finances?

Four of Wands and Saved the Last Piece – Saving creates stability for the things you want in your life. Take care not to lose sight of the fact that putting money away instead of spending it not only makes sure you have it when it’s needed, but also when you just want to treat yourself or others.

What are my goals in terms of material well-being?

Knight of Cups atop Six of Cups; Should We Do Nothing – True autonomy is the foundation of your material well-being goals. You desire the ability to do what you want when you want, without needing to worry that it will upset the scales of balance in your life. This freedom doesn’t necessarily mean exceptional monetary abundance, but rather a comfortable balance you are seeking to achieve.

How can I make my environment more pleasant?

Page of Cups and Muddy Boots – To make your environment more pleasant, work on learning how to enjoy life being a little bit messy. Mess and chaos don’t have to upset the apple cart of your emotions. The fact that they do indicates that you are gripping onto that habitual perfectionist mindset of  yours far too tightly.

Other elements included in this reading:
Foraged Silver Maple Key for Bouncing Back to Thrive
Foraged Cedar Tips for Protection Against Negative Influences
Gneiss Wishing Stone for Patience in Moments of Discomfort
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: TAROT OF THE HIDDEN REALM AND WITH LOVE LITTLE PIGGY AND LITTLE BUNNY POSTCARD SET

Daily Self Kindness

I managed to get some time to unwind and relax with Gideon once I finished orders.

True To Self

Today’s meditation was skipped.

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Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion Cards and Parfait Tarot de Marseille's Three of CupsToday’s draw is the Three of Cups, Three of Cups, which in the Tarot de Marseille is traditionally a representation of friendships and family connections, harmonious relationships, connecting emotionally with others, and collaboration between those that are linked or alike not just in mind but also in heart.

Confession.  I have an extreme distaste for being around people who are drinking. I waffle between seeing them as unpredictable, moronic, or weak.  Sometimes? I see them as prey, which ties into the whole “weak” category, but I think is actually a kinda messed up perspective.

I don’t find hanging out while having a beer as entertainment, nor enjoy most gatherings where alcohol is served.  This isn’t to say that I don’t enjoy being invited (because I very much do!), and may even accept in a show of solidarity. It just means that even if I accept? I’ll probably hold myself apart, won’t be drinking myself, and may come off as “no fun” to others.

This is me being honest to myself and about who I am.  The message in today’s cards is an encouragement to do just that.  Be true to yourself. Even in the face of peer pressure and possibly disappointing others. Be authentic to who you are instead of trying to conform to other’s expectations. Those that are meant to really matter will accept you as you are, differences and all.

DECK USED:  PARFAIT TAROT DE MARSEILLE AND LITTLE OTTER’S MINDFUL KIDS EMOTION CARDS

#DiscordTarotholicsMay2025 Challenge
Prompt for May 26
: What do you need to focus on for self-care for this month’s new moon?

Oracle Reading with the Resurrection OracleReading Summary: There is value in looking at things with fresh eyes (Inner Child) and taking them at face value instead of delving into the details (Face Value). Doing so is a turning point on trust for you (Turning Point), allowing you to be more open to trusting the universe is a whole instead of continuing to distrust everything.

Take Away: This New Moon’s self care needs to include putting your energy into being less pessimistic and distrustful. Not everything is a harbinger of doom or betrayal, and it’s okay to not predict every obstacle or problem before it lands on your doorstep. It’s okay to just enjoy, instead of picking things apart hunting for potential problems.  Give yourself permission to let go of your hyper-vigilance and just take things as they are.

Other elements included in this reading:
Lobelia Sprig for Removing Rose Colored Glasses
Fuchsia Flowers for Stability in the Face of External Disruption
Lace Agate for Increasing Inner Stability
Green Aventurine for Harmony and Balance of the Heart
(Stone above might actually be Garnierite with similar properties, but I won’t know for sure until I do some testing.)
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: RESURRECTION ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This is a catch up post, and I’m not entirely sure what the self kindness was for this day.

Shock and Awe

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and one of the #DailyTrip sessions in the @Calm app.

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Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotion Cards and The Spectrum Seeker's Tarot - Ace of Spoons, Ace of WandsToday’s draw is the Ace of Spoons (Wands), which is traditionally a representation of the seed of new beginnings in the area of one’s enthusiasm, drive, willpower, principles, determination, and inner spark. This often translates into themes that have to do with budding new interests and new passion projects.

Have you ever just said “fuk it” and done something with the full expectation that it could flop, only to be shocked when it goes well?

If not? You really need to play and experience more!  Fear of failure is holding you back, and doesn’t need to. Failure, after all, is how we learn… and that includes how we learn what we have a natural talent for, what things we like and enjoy, and what things that if we really want them we’ll have to really work at.

When you deprive yourself of experiences out of fear of failure, you miss out on all the happy surprises out there waiting for you to discover them.

The Ace of Spoons (Wands) card combined with the Shocked Starfish are here today to remind you to dive in, and encouragement to give life the opportunity to shock and awe you with new discoveries about the world around you and about yourself.

DECK USED:  THE SPECTRUM SEEKER’S TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMay2025 Challenge
Philosophical Question for May 14th
: What is happiness?

Oracle Reading with the Nature's Healing OracleReading Summary: Happiness is life itself (all three card meanings end with “of life”), and the blending of our moments of anticipation and excitement (Coffee), with those moments of quiet calm (Olive Oil) where we can slow down and smell the roses (Chickpeas).

Take Away: These cards answer to what is happiness is that it’s all about experiencing the ups and downs of life.  I can’t remember where I read the theory, but there’s a theory out there that humanity can’t be happy long term unless there is struggle.  This theory proposes that in order to truly enjoy and appreciate happiness, we are only able to do so when experiencing it in short duration rather than as a constant.

I feel that this is what these cards are essentially trying to say.  We need variety in life.  Times of rest and relaxation, and times of effort, energy, anticipation, and excitement. Happiness, for humans, therefore, is in the bliss of temporary moments… both the exciting ones, and the quiet ones.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Ammonite for a Sense of Stability During Times of Change
Citrine for Energy Lift (easing the weight of heavy energies)
Clear Quartz for a boost of Intentional Energies

DECK USED: NATURE’S HEALING ORACLE

Daily Self Kindness

This is a catch up post, and I’m not entirely sure what the self kindness was for this day.

The Simple Pleasures

Today’s meditation was ten minutes long, and was one of the #DailyTrip sessions in the @Calm app.

The topic of today’s meditation was focused upon “What simple pleasures can I tune into today?”

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Tarot Arcanae The Earth Tarot's Hanged Man Card and Little Otter's Mindful Kids Emotions CardsToday’s draw is the Hanged Man, which is traditionally a representation of taking a pause, considering alternate perspectives, relaxing into difficult situations, surrender, or letting go.

Stillness is the blessing that allows you to notice what you would otherwise miss.

Sometimes it can be difficult to partake in that stillness. A moment of pause can feel unnecessary, a waste of valuable time, or even counter productive. This go-go-go attitude might get you places, but you’re missing a lot of really important things along the way.

When you pause instead, you are given the opportunity to experience more, explore in depth, and find pleasure in the process.

The message in today’s card combined with the theme of today’s meditation is a reminder to slow down and savor, even when you feel like you can’t afford the time. Do it anyway. In doing so you are allowing more richness into your current journey and your life as a whole.

DECK USED:  TERRA ARCANAE : THE EARTH TAROT

#detarotjufmeitarotchallenge Tea With the Queens Challenge by @de_tarotjuf
Tea with the Queen of Cups : Emotional Intelligence and Care
Prompts for May 22 – 24

Oracle Reading with the Glimmer Enlightenment CardsWhat does empathy mean to me?

Responsibility and Vigilance – You often see empathy is something that creates a responsibility in you to help. This is because you are experiencing their emotions on a personal level, which in turn triggers that “need to fix it” reaction within you.

For this reason you’re often extremely careful in how far you’re willing to dip into other people’s problems and emotions. This vigilance allows you to avoid getting too involved, and thus too invested.

You see sympathy is a better option, for you can listen to their problems without involving your own emotions in the process.

What dreams do I have that I can explore?

Integrity – Make sure you were seeking out those that are true to themselves, and appreciate you being true to yourself as well. Don’t give time to those that lie to you or use deception to get their way, as integrity is one of those things at the top of your list when it comes to valuing both yourself and others. Take care not to cut others slack in this area.

How can I further develop my emotional well-being?

Romance – Work on enhancing those rose colored glasses. Your down-to-earth dependency on logic often causes you to miss out on opportunities for new emotional experiences and the resulting emotional growth. Let your emotions flow and wear them on your sleeve, rather than keeping them bottled up inside.

Other elements included in this reading:
Dried Rhododendron Leaf for Fostering Confidence
Picture Jasper for Sense of Proportion and Grounding
Selenite for Purification and drawing in Positive Energy

DECK USED: GLIMMER ENLIGHTENMENT CARDS

Daily Self Kindness

This is a catch up post, and I’m not entirely sure what the self kindness was for this day.