The Give and Take of Comfort

Today’s meditation was skipped, Although not for lack of trying. Leg cramps made it impossible to stay still.

Disney Villains Tarot - The EmpressToday’s draw is the Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of the divine feminine, mother earth, the strength that resides within feminine energy, nurturing energies, beauty, and abundance.

The imagery on this card reminds me of interactions I’ve seen between a friend of mine and her mother. This friend keeps her hair very long, even though it often frustrates her. I always wondered why until I began seeing her and her mother together more often.

Whenever they are together the mother is drawn to playing with her daughter’s hair, running her fingers through it and caressing it. My friend’s mother finds her hair beautiful and irresistible. It has become a comforting and bonding experience between them that the daughter fosters by keeping her hair long even though it’s not her preferred style.

This card begs the question… What creates a comforting atmosphere in your life? What bonds and rituals with others nurture your soul? What little things that nurture and connect us do we overlook that, with a little attention paid, we can preserve and foster in our lives and the lives of others?

DECK USED:  DISNEY VILLAINS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for October 2nd: Do Spread 1

The Halloween Tarot in a TinBat – What is ending at this time that needs my awareness and focus?

Nine of Ghosts – The time for comfortable satisfaction and chilling in your accomplishments his coming to an end for the year. The next three months, you won’t have much time for reflection on all the good stuff or a sense of satisfaction. You’re going to be too busy.

Calendula – Who is a loving constant in my life that needs a bit more recognition?

Knight of Pumpkins – Those in your life that are trying to help you meet your goals, but do so at a slower pace. You don’t need people to push you, just to help you stay on track and move at a slow and steady pace instead of a frantic one driven by your emotions and anxieties.

Owl – What do I need to know right now to trust that I’m on the right path?

The Hermit – As long as you keep your alone time healthy, you’re good. Don’t fall into unhealthy habits of retreating into yourself and cutting other people out.

Rosemary – What memory from my past needs revisited to guide in my future safety?

Page of Bats – You need to look back at the things that you learned this year that are practical and help guide you towards your goals. Revisit things like QuickBooks, Vela, and other tools that can help you automate parts of your business as they can help ensure that you are not overwhelming yourself with a crapload of stuff that could be done automatically instead of manually. This then helps in mitigating the approach of burnout that is so prevalent for you through the holiday rush.

Black Cat – Where is conformity more of a risk than independent thought?

Knight of Imps – Fads fade. Don’t jump on the bandwagon because whatever it is seems popular and different than what you’re now doing. If you’re bored with what you’re doing, find something new and unique to chase after instead of following the crowd.

Wormwood – During this time when the veil is thin, what in my life needs protecting?

Ten of Imps – Do not allow yourself to get overwhelmed and overburdened at this time. The more overwhelmed you feel now, the worse it will get later on through the season ahead.

Raven – Where can sating my curiosity lead to the resurrection of something I’ve lost?

Five of Imps – If you seek out others perspectives on the things that they are passionate about, you can stir up your own passions as a response. Their enthusiasm and conviction can in turn feed yours.

DECK USED: THE HALLOWEEN TATOT

HealingThruTarot’s October Shadow Work Challenge Prompt
Question for October 1st and 3rd

Disney Villains TarotWhat situations leave me stressed?

The Emperor and Ten of Wands – The necessity of taking charge and taking on responsibility when secretly you are already overwhelmed and far beyond your limit.

You take these things on naturally with barely a glance at the damage it will do to you by doing so. This added pressure and overwhelm then build into something detrimental in the background while you try to pretend it’s not happening.

How can I handle these triggering situations better?

Death and The Lovers – Instead of letting things come to a head and become unhealthy, start working on small processes along the way to delegate and otherwise turn situations around so that they can be more healthy for you when crunch time comes.

DECK USED: DISNEY VILLAINS TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I worked on getting my rosary orders done during play today instead of putting it off til tomorrow and letting it overwhelm me on orders day.

Mysteries Abound

Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Macabre Tarot - The Divine - The High PriestessToday’s draw is The Divine (the High Priestess) card, which is traditionally a representation of intuition, secret knowledge, the subconscious, and is often connected to lunar cycles.

The eye in this card holds a lot of my focus today, as does the fact that it is cast up towards the arc of moon phases above.  It brings to mind thoughts about how there is far more to life than meets the eye. Whether your beliefs include God, or a Pantheon, or ancestral spirits, or guides.. or none of these at all. There is no denying that the world is filled with mystery.

Today’s card is a reminder that these mysteries are all around us, free for us to explore if we wish, or just sit in wonder and admire. No faith necessary, no religion required.

DECK USED:  THE MACABRE TAROT

Mr Lionhart’s Seasons of the Witch Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 1st thru 3rd – The Omens

The Horror Tarot and Seasons of the Witch Samhain OraclePrediction, path, or prophecy, what will October bring for me?

Death and Third Harvest – A lot of small changes will happen over the month of October, culminating in the completion of a larger transition into something new by Samhain. Take your time in gearing up for the holiday season. Do a little a day, and by the time the holiday rush begins you will be ready.

As above, so below, show me where I need to go.

Ace of Swords and Intuition – Listen to that intuitive voice within you when communicating with others this month. Logic isn’t enough. You will need to delve deeper and seek guidance from within, as well as those that communicate with you through the language of your intuition.

From today until Samhain, how or where should I begin?

Judgment Rx and Grief – Don’t allow negativity and self judgment, or the mourning of the idleness of summer passing, to drag you down and cut you off from your path forward. Keep negativity in check, so that it doesn’t sink in and cause you emotional turmoil.

DECK USED: HORROR TAROT AND SEASONS OF THE WITCH SAMHAIN ORACLE

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 1st:
Jack o’Lantern – What makes you smile or lifts your spirits?

The Macabre TarotReading Summary: When you and/or others are able to take disappointments (Three of Daggers) and piecemeal the experience gained from them into  progress toward your goals (Two of Bones) instead of letting it be something that weighs you down or holds you back (Ten of Bones).

Take Away: Turning a negative experiences around into a positive ones is uplifting for you. Finding the boon in negative experiences lifts your spirits, whether it’s you, something you’re involved in directly, or just witnessing someone else do it.

DECK USED: THE MACABRE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Lots of play time with Gideon today.  I had to skip my nap, but I don’t regret it at all and didn’t need one all that bad today anyway.  I needed the time with him much more.

Nature Time is Self Care Time

Today’s meditation was skipped again today. I need to figure out a way to get my ass back into the habit again instead of just thinking about it in the evenings as a “damn, I didn’t do it again”.

Gothic Tarot of Vampires and How to Be a Wildflower DeckToday’s draw is the Queen of Coins, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, hearth, manifestations, and the physical world. The energy of this card is down to earth, and that of a nurturer.

Combined with the affirmation card for today, what I see here is a call for me to get out into nature, to take in that healing balm that being among the moss and trees and rich damp earth provides me with.

Today is, unfortunately, not a day I’m going to be able to fulfill this need.  I can’t go out into nature, but the seed is planted and I will be going in the next couple of days.  I know that I need it.

DECK USED:  GOTHIC TAROT OF VAMPIRES AND HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic
: Do the the Thinning Veil Tarot Spread

Cruel Thing TarotWhat spirits have come to visit and walk with me while the veil is thin?

The Empress – Those spirits that have come to visit and walk with you this year while the veil is thin are those spirit guides and ancestors that only want what is best for you. No hidden agendas, just nurturing and strength.

How are these spirits assisting in keeping me safe?

Two of Pentacles – They are helping you in finding balance in your life. When there is no balance, things start to careen out of control and feel too heavy. You become overwhelmed and struggle unnecessarily. Their guidance helps you keep things in balance at times when you need that extra assistance.

What should I offer to these spirits that are watching over me?

Knight of Wands – More eagerness to connect, and more focus on following through on the advice that they give. Too many times they have to beat you over the head with their advice, repeating it over and over again.

What cycle from the past do my Ancestors hope that I will break?

Six of Cups – Allowing the echoes of your past to dictate your present is a cycle that your Ancestors hope you will break. You aren’t the first in your lineage to struggle with this issue. Due to the fact that you have no offspring, and that neither you or your sister can produce any, this is not something that’s going to carry on into the next generation, but it is something they want you to overcome.

What do I know deep within my bones.

Ten of Swords – Everything is temporary. All things come to an end. Nothing last forever, and sometimes that end is painful, but can also filled with a bittersweet pleasure of relief.

What do the Spirits and Ancestors need for me to learn?

Five of Coins – Your spirits and ancestors need for you to learn how to overcome the scarcity issues that influence and control so much of your life. This fear rules over too much.

A message for me from the Spirits and Ancestors.

Queen of Cups – Do what you need to do to make sure that you’re taking the time to be kind to yourself and stay grounded. Do the things you need to do to nurture yourself, even when things feel otherwise out of control. These actions help you to stay in control of what is before you, creating a sense of stability within the surrounding chaos.

Side Note: Over the past week I’ve been struggling really hard, dealing with a huge amount of upset in my mental health.  I understand that a portion of this is because of the approach of the holiday rush, but after having a similar experience last year, I wonder if a part of this is also because over the past two years I have been working on opening myself up to my mediumship abilities, and that the thinning of the veil when it approaches its thinnest point is causing an enhanced amount of restlessness and disruption as a result.  I’m writing this side note on November 2nd, and I’m noting that as the veil now begins to thicken once more, I’m starting to feel better.  The timing is the same as last year.

DECK USED: CRUEL THING TAROT

PatriciaWestonWitch’s #wwpwHalloweenLenormand Prompt
Questions for October 30th and 31st

Shadowmyth Preservation Story Cards and Gothic Tarot of VampiresWhat’s too dark in my life?
Queen of Wands atop The Star, Nuclear Fallout

If you push too hard with your ambition, it’s snuffs out the light, creeping into degrade your hope, and close off your connection to the world around you.

What is the waning crescent moon’s wisdom for me today?
Nine of Coins atop The Sun, Pour It Out

In order for there to be room for the good stuff, you have to let go of the bad stuff. Just as when you stir good intentions into your tea, you first have to stare out negativity to make a room, or when your body releases waste and uses that process to expel toxins from the body so that you can then fill it up with more healthy fuel again. Make room for more good in your life.

DECK USED: SHADOWMYTHS PRESERVATION STORY DECK AND GOTHIC TAROT OF VAMPIRES

Daily Self Kindness

I’m trying my best not to beat myself up after having an unexpected nap earlier when what I really need is some Gideon time.

The Magic Within

Today’s meditation was skipped again.  I keep telling myself that I’m going to get back on track… and yet? I still am skipping this.  Tomorrow is another day, yes?  Another try at doing better.  I do feel better today, though.

Tarot V and How to Be a Wildflower DeckToday’s draw is the Star card, which is traditionally a representation of hope, spiritual guidance, renewal, and the inter-connectivity of ourselves to the world around us and spiritual plane.

Today’s message reminds me of the saying “To the world you may be just one person, but one person, you may be the world.” Sometimes you are the Star in another persons life. You are their hope, their connection, their guiding light.

And you may not even realize it. It could be a coworker you’ve never spoken to, an employer, a friend, the barista at the coffee shop. To these people, you just being there lights up their lives, inspires them, or makes things better in some way that may seem small but makes a huge difference.

Don’t forget the magic you hold within you. Don’t forget how cherished you are by the world around you. You make a difference, whether you realize it or not.

DECK USED:  TAROT V AND HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2021 Challenge Prompt
Question for October 30th
: The last harvest is upon us. What needs to be discarded from my life?

Le Fantastique Tarot Hallucine du Dr ZarielReading Summary: Traditional (Le Pape) comforts and expectations (Ten of Diamonds) abandoned for what you really desire to push for and conquer (King of Clubs).

Take Away: This isn’t so much about giving up on the desire for stability and comfort, so much as setting thoughts of it on the back burner so that you can fully focus on the moment and what needs to be done now.

By allowing that focus to come to the forefront, you can focus deeper and accomplish more because the distraction isn’t there to pull your attention away from where it needs to be.

DECK USED: LE FANTASTIQUE TAROT HALLUCINE DU DR ZARIEL

The #EmbraceYourAlterEgo2021 Challenge for Sacred Grounds Tarot Club
Questions for October 30th and 31st

PVRGATORIVM and Tarot VWhat messages do my Ancestors have for me?
Eight of Swords, Knight of Clubs, Prayer

Open your eyes when charging forward instead of taking things on faith. Yes, you are more than capable of “winging it” blindly and there is a time and place for that.  Now is not that time and place, though.

How can I express my gratitude for the remainder of the year?
Three of Coins, The Moon, Bound

Remember that when you work together, there is less uncertainty, and less struggle. Their fate is also bound to your fate, so it is only right that they should bear part of the load.

The message here is that it’s important to be grateful for those that are there to help you and support you in your endeavors. Make sure you are expressing that gratitude to these people.

DECK USED: PVRGATORIVM AND TAROT V

Daily Self Kindness

I got Gideon time tonight.  Not enough, but it felt really good.

People Need People

Today’s meditation was skipped, although I did take a couple of “pause and breathe” breaks throughout the day today.

Tarot del Toro and How to Be a Wildflower DeckToday’s draw is the Queen of Goblets (Cups), which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition. This often translates into themes that have to do with compassion and emotional support.

This sentiment is echoed in the How to Be a Wildflower card for today, which speaks of the shelter that we find in each other through their presence and support in our lives.

In turn, we also provide this support to others. Even introverts need people. They not need as much social contact as an extrovert, but they still need people. People to love, and people to love them in turn.  People to support, and people to support them in turn.

Sometimes I dream of going up into the forest and never returning.  A cabin by a river, a tree with a rope swing.  Solitude.   And yet I know that as introverted as I am?  Even I need people.

DECK USED:  TAROT DEL TORO AND HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER DECK

Mr Lionharts’ #TheOctoberTarot #SeasonoftheWitchChallenge Prompt
Questions for October 29th thru 31st

Tarot de Marseille par Pole KaAncestors hear, come far, come all, I now call you forth, how do you answer my call?

L’Étoile – With eagerness and wisdom, the ancestors come forward to be heard. They wish to instill hope, to connect and communicate through that connection, to support and to guide you forward on your path from one day to the next.

Cards on the table, ancestors respond, show me your guidance from somewhere beyond…

Le Fou atop Le Pape – Be positive. Don’t lose hope. Begin piecing together your inner spirit. You don’t have to be so rigid in your expectations of yourself.  Loosen up and let yourself have a bit more fun.

Thank you for your guidance, through highs and through lows, before you depart, tell me, what should I know?

Deux de Denier – You need to focus on balance. Everything else will fall into place.

DECK USED: TAROT DE MARSEILLE PAR POLE KA

PatriciaWestonWitch’s #wwpwHalloweenLenormand Prompt
Questions for October 28th and 29th

Tarot del ToroWhat will I surrender today?
Six of Cups and Eight of Wands

It’s time to begin releasing the guilt.  You were raised to be a workhorse and you know that “training” from an early age is why you feel guilty now.  That guilt is preventing you from getting the rest you need.

Release the guilt.  Do it now.  It’s much easier to find balance without that static playing loudly in your head and heart.

What wisdom does bat have for me today?
Nine of Wands and The Magician

You’re going to end up going into the customs office today.  Stay friendly, but distant.  You have everything you need to get through the checkpoint as needed, so just relax and do the process.  It takes time, but it doesn’t have to be stressful.

DECK USED: TAROT DEL TORO

Daily Self Kindness

I stopped to eat at Denny’s instead of trying to hold out until I made it home.

Adaptation and Balance

Today’s meditation was skipped yet again.  I did have intentions, but they didn’t pan out.  Too many orders to get done and not enough time in the day.

Черное Таро and How to Be a Wildflower DeckToday’s draw is the Justice card, which is traditionally a representation of balance, cause and effect, consequences, and can often indicates a theme of law or justice system involvement.

When I think of balance, I think of Maat’s scales.  The weighing of a heart on one side, and the feather on the other, and the symbolism of finding balance… perhaps only in death.

The reason I feel this way about it is because in life, the world is ever-changing. That means the “scales” that each of us carry with us that weigh and balance the different priorities in our lives and the things we have done, or conscience, and well… everything really.  These scales must be in constant motion, constantly adjusting as the world around us changes, and as we grow and change.

Only in death do the scales still entirely. Only then to we have the possibility of perfect balance.  The cards here today speak to me of that.  Of the fact that although we strive for balance in our lives, that goal is always going to be just out of reach.  Sometimes closer, sometimes further away, but never perfect. Because here in life?  We are meant to grow and change, we are meant to learn and expand.  And with every moment of growth, every shift in priorities, every change in our lives, our minds, our emotions… that balance must shift.  Embracing the changes helps us in making those adjustments go more smoothly.

DECK USED:  ЧЕРНОЕ ТАРО AND HOW TO BE A WILDFLOWER DECK

#DiscordTarotholicsOct2021 Challenge Prompt
Questions for October 28th and 29th

Orphic TarotWhat healing lesson is waiting for me to realize and accept it?

Nine of Swords (Melas Oneiros) – Your perceptions when you are in a mental health crisis are warped. Reality is not as bleak as it appears to be during these times. Find a better way to tell when you’re in real trouble than just guessing blindly in the dark

How can I work on accepting this lesson?

Four of Cups (Echo) atop Death Rx (Hades) – Instead of always looking forward and charging ahead, take time to sit with where you are and more fully explore it.

Your StrengthThe Moon (Pan Selene) – You are good at moving forward with surety, even when things are feeling uncertain. As mentioned above though, you need to remember that sometimes moving forward is not the answer.

Your WeaknessJudgment (Dionysus) – You are too hard on yourself and set your expectations far too high.

AdviceFive of Cups (Mourning Orpheus) – Stop retreating. Stop hiding. All it is doing is making things worse. Don’t allow your emotions to control your actions… or more specifically, your inaction and stagnancy. It’s taking up too much control of what’s going on in your life.

DECK USED: ORPHIC TAROT

The #EmbraceYourAlterEgo2021 Challenge for Sacred Grounds Tarot Club
Questions for October 28th and 29th

Черное ТароHow will the dark half of the year help me grow?
Ten of Pentacles and Wheel of Fortune

It will be a reminder that there are good and bad times, and nothing last forever. It will help you to see that even when things feel like they’re going bad, your stability will not be threatened by the whims of these minor up and downs in life… no matter how major they may feel in the moment.

How will this growth help me love and appreciate myself?
Queen of Swords and The Chariot

It will remind you of your strengths and adaptability, allowing you to see that you can continue to move forward with purpose regardless of how you’re feeling by reconnecting with that logical side of your nature that is a part of your history and heritage.

DECK USED: ЧЕРНОЕ ТАРО

Daily Self Kindness

Let’s see… I took a nap that I probably shouldn’t have taken.  I also had my smoothie, which was really good today for some reason (as if it’s not made the same way every day or something), as well as my vitamins, tea, collagen peptides, and muffin.