Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal Cards

It’s Okay To Need Help

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Today’s meditation was just under ten  minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app combined with interval timer for my piriformis stretches.

The focus of today’s meditation was about speaking with kindness when one is irritated, instead of with abrasion and aggression.  Sometimes it can be hard to do that, and the advice in the meditation today was about tapping into your meditative mindfulness practice by taking a pause before speaking, and a deep breath.  Allowing yourself to calm a bit in that moment prior to opening up and speaking what’s on your mind.

In doing this, you’re able to approach the situation with a more level head, and usually end up with a far better outcome as a result.

Petrak Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Four of Discs, which is traditionally a representation of stability, strong foundations, conservation, and at times, miserly behavior or control issues when it comes to one’s finances or earthly pleasures.

Although I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking at in this image, what stands out to me here is that the discs in this image are providing a sort of structure, balance, and perhaps even support for the inner beam of energy that they encircle.  This makes stability and support, to me, the highlight of this card’s meaning in the sense of the imagery itself.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is that we all need support now and then.  That doesn’t mean that we are less than because we need that support.  Instead, it shows a different sort of strength to be able to accept the help and support offered by others, and a self awareness that you can’t do everything all on your own all the time.

DECK USED:  PETRAK TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: A message from my inner crone.

Patch Tarot

Reading Summary: Make sure you’re enjoying life to the fullest (The Sun) by owning (as in taking ownership of) those things that light your fire (King of Disks) and following your intuition (The Priestess).

Take Away:  My inner crone wants me to know that life is short and I need to follow my instincts and intuition in the direction of enjoying life and living it to its fullest rather than constantly holding myself back and being so practical.  Not everything can be about stability, security, and comfort.

DECK USED:  PATCH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Topic: Do Spread #2
Question: Where do I need to seek more clarity in my life?

Petrak TarotReading Summary: The deep blues in the Four of Discs correlates with the dark blues in the Three of Swords Rx.  This connects these two cards and the Three of Wands is drug along from center to the left (the present and past) due to being positioned on top of the Three of Swords.

Thus the cards indicate that you need to redefine your perception (Three of Wands atop Three of Swords Rx) of stability (Four of Discs).

The Three of Wands also has a very strong color connection with the Fortune card, pulling the Three of Wands to the right side of the board (aka the future) as well.

This then speaks of the result of redefining your perception is that in your life journey (Three of Wands) you will have more room to account for the ups and downs in life (Fortune).

Take Away: My current perceptions of what stability means to me are caging me in and keeping me from being as flexible and adaptable as I could be.  If I open up my mind to look at stability from different angles, I will find that stability and security are more than what I have limited them to, and this will allow me to grow and adapt more easily.

DECK USED:  PETRAK TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I took my fire extinguisher downstairs with me when I went to check on a neighbor whose fire alarm was going off for over ten minutes.  Turns out he got drunk and passed out with a pain on the stove.  Fortunately, enough pounding on the door roused him before he could succumb to smoke inhalation and there was no real damage done (other than to the pan).

Unrecognized Contributions

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Okay so, the blog is definitely not helping me in being accountable for my meditation practice, but my body apparently is very much up for the job.  I woke up in pain again this morning for the third day in the row and I know it’s because I have not been meditating, which means I’ve not been doing my piriformis stretches.  As a result, my hips and back are stiffening up and it’s becoming increasingly painful with each day that passes.  SO… tomorrow?  I am meditating.  I’m am going to get my ass back on track, because otherwise I’m going to have to pick up extra physiotherapy and chiro.

Linescape Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Eight of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of hard work, mastering a skill, and can often indicate repetitive tasks or perfectionism.

I really like this card as I feel that it shows a different perspective than what we usually see in the Eight of Pentacles.  The imagery here is of a city built of skyscrapers, overlain with puzzle pieces.  This is representative to me of the massive amount of planning needed in building a city, and the expertise needed to make all of it fit together and work together well.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what we have here is a reminder that everyone has their unique skills.  It is when we work together that we create something truly great. The key word here is “together” and that includes you.  Without you, there is no “together” and the project or endeavor would lack what you personally bring to the table.  Don’t discount what you have to offer, and how valuable that is to the team and the endeavor as a whole.

DECK USED:  LINESCAPE TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: A message from my inner child. A message from my inner mother.

Twilight Rabbit Tarot

Inner Child – The Trickster atop King of Stone – Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you have everything under control.

Control is one of those things that I feel like I am constantly striving for, as it always feels as if with control comes stability and security. The reminder from my inner child is about how life is unpredictable even in the best of times and loves throw curve balls.

Inner Mother – Strength atop The Empress – True strength is more than determination and brawn (Strength), but requires nurturing and self-care as well.

It is not at all surprising to me that my Inner Mother would remind me about self-care. Sometimes self-care comes easily, but a lot of times I still feel a good amount of guilt for the time I take for self-care.  My inner dialogue tries to shame me into believing that it’s laziness instead of necessity, wasting time instead of caring for myself. My Inner Mother then speaks here to remind me that it is through self-care that strength is bolstered and given what is needed to flourish.

DECK USED:  TWILIGHT RABBIT TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What is your personal superpower?

Linescape TarotReading Summary: Finding happiness and stability (Nine of Pentacles) when at home in nature (Four of Wands), and sorting the rest out later (Page of Swords).

Take Away: My superpower is being able to step out into the forest and letting the world fall away, finding my place and my peace among the trees and moss and letting my worries and ambitions go in order to truly sink into the comfort of the forest’s embrace.

In many ways, I am more at home lying in damp moss among nurse logs and towering evergreens than I am at home on my couch or stretched out in my own bed.

Finding these places and becoming one with them, spending time within them and allowing the essence of these places to sink in and purge the stress and worry of day to day life is my super power.

DECK USED:  LINESCAPE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I finished my motherfuckin’ taxes!!  I’m so goddamned happy.  Now I just need to meet with the accountant so he can do his part of things, and then pay the man.

Balancing Act

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped again.  Clearly accountability is not coming in the form of these blog posts, although I am definitely going to have to get back on track with this one way or another.

Dreaming Cat Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support CardsToday’s draw is the Star card, which is traditionally about hope, positivity, and the inter-connectivity between ourselves, spirituality, and the world around us.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is that there’s a good deal of fun and curiosity going on in this image.  The cat plays in the water, pats at the flitting fish, splashes the shore in its eagerness as the star shines down upon her and the shore.  I’ve seen my own cat do this in the sink and bathtub many, many times and it’s always a pursuit filled with both curiosity and joy.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a message about taking a bit of time to feel free and happy, no matter how much you need to get done or how serious the day might need to be as a whole.  If that time bumps something that needs done to the next day?  Be okay with that.  It’s okay.  You need that lightheartedness in your day to help balance things out and keep things healthy.

DECK USED:  DREAMING CAT TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

LionHart’s Sacred Self Divination Challenge Prompt
Question: How, or where, can the lessons of my past help me make choices that are best for me today?

Wild Wolf Tarot

 Reading Summary:  Own your choices and strive for stability (Alpha of Hunters), even when you’re wrapped up in the enthusiasm of learning new things (Pup of Leaders) and feeling like a kid in a candy store (Six of Caretakers).

Take Away:  My past instilled within me a deep seated need for stability in my home life and security. Even when I get wrapped up in the joy of discovery and learning new things, I always stay focused on where these things might lead and how they might help foster more stability and security.   The cards here are saying that it’s okay to let go.  The lessons I learned when I was young about needing to be ever vigilant to that security and stability?  They’re flawed.  I don’t need to keep an eye on it every moment of every day.  It’s okay to enjoy the enthusiasm for enthusiasm’s sake without planning everything to be profitable in some way down the road.

DECK USED:  WILD WOLF TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What would this new perspective look like when applied to my life?

Dreaming Cat TarotReading Summary: More time to teach (The Hierophant) and connect with others with a more heart centered focus (Two of Cups atop Queen of Wands Rx) instead of constantly pushing ever forward toward my goals (Knight of Pentacles Rx atop Ten of Pentacles).

Take Away:  The new perspective was about not acting on my ideas right away, but rather stepping back and writing things down, then delving in later so that I don’t overwhelm myself.

The result of doing this will allow me to have the time and opportunity to make deeper connections with others so that I’m not just helping people in finding their path, but truly bonding with them in the process.  In other words, less standing on the outside and more immersive interaction.

DECK USED:  DREAMING CAT TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I went to bed instead of forcing myself to stay up when I was exhausted.  I really wanted more time with Gideon, but I was so tired and really needed the sleep.

Strengthening Principles

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was… well, I had every intention of meditating today, but that didn’t happen.  I really need to get back into doing this on a regular basis. Hell, even on a semi regular basis would be better than just skipping it all the time.  I’m not sure why I struggle with this but I need to try harder.

Lunaria Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support CardsToday’s draw is the Seven of Quills (Wands) which is traditionally a representation of standing one’s ground, standing up for what you believe in against all odds, and fighting for those things that are important to you.

Sometimes it’s not about the odds, but rather about one’s values and principles. There are hills you just have to stand, and possibly die on in life and it’s important to stand strong in these moments and be true to yourself.

Combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a reminder that standing up for your values and principles isn’t just about outside influences and external attacks. Sometimes it’s our own inner dialogues and judgements that attack what we know is right and try to whittle away at our principles.  Other times it’s peer pressure playing off our insecurities.   Either way, it’s important to remember that we have our values and our principles for a reason, and stay in touch with what they are and why they are what they are.

By keeping in touch with these things we strengthen them, and that strengthening then helps us when these core parts of who we are come under attack.

DECK USED:  LUNARIA TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: Cards to guide me towards total self love and acceptance.

Fine Line Tarot

Color Notes: Take the essence of the Queen of Pentacles and the Death card, and blend them together into the Page of Pentacles.

Reading Summary: By remembering to focus on fostering a nurturing and balanced attitude towards yourself and others (Queen of Pentacles) during times of change (Death), you will learn to accept yourself as you are and things as they come instead of always pushing so hard and judging yourself harshly (Page of Pentacles).

Take Away: So essentially I could have been handed Temperance and the Empress.  *Chuckles*  Well, not necessarily as it would have lost some of it’s nuance but still.   The answer here in how to lean into self love and acceptance is to be kinder to myself.  Kinder in how I view myself, how I judge myself, and how I treat myself… and practice more patience with myself.   These are not really things that I excel at

DECK USED:  FINE LINE TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: In what aspect of life do you need a new perspective?

Lunaria TarotReading Summary: You need to learn when to let go and move on (Three of Quills) from a plan that isn’t working (Three of Pens). Take control not by trying to force the plan to continue to work, but I stepping away and moving on to something else (The Chariot).

Take Away: Don’t hold on so tight.  There’s other ways to use my determination, energy, and intent than by plowing down a road that isn’t going anywhere or isn’t working.

Instead of being single focused on the path I think is the only right one, look around and seize control to change direction instead.  There’s always a better way if you’re willing to just ease up and take a minute to find it.

DECK USED:  LUNARIA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

Instead of going to bed after I finished my orders as I had at first planned, I’m catching up on blog posts.  This self kindness is in the fact that I feel so much less weight, and so much better, when I don’t have a pile of posts to get through because of having put off posting for a few days.

Kindness… Not Just For Others

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped and for once I have no excuse.  I just plain didn’t feel like it and ended up fucking around a bit on my phone instead watching videos and IG clips.

Ideal Soulmate Tarot and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of sacred feminine energies, nurturing themes, and abundance.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of this card today is that the Empress in this card is barefoot.  I think that this is a very important aspect and including it here shows the connection that the Empress has to the natural world.  She is both grounded, and at ease, comforting and warm.

When combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a message about self-kindness and care.  It’s all well and good to direct kindness and care to others, and wonderful to be accepted as a kind and caring person.   But we need to remember that kindness and caring needs to be directed toward ourselves as well.   Even when you might feel like you don’t deserve it, or feel like punishing yourself is more apt and comfortable.

Try harder to be kind to yourself.  Work harder at silencing the negative inner dialogue that picks you apart and tears you down, puts you in your place and… quite frankly, abuses you.  If you wouldn’t treat others that way, why would you treat yourself like that?  Instead, work at replacing that inner dialogue with something kinder, more understanding, and more accepting.

DECK USED:  IDEAL SOULMATE TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: What beautiful aspect of myself am I ready to embrace?

Tarot of the Nymphs

Reading Summary: My ability to move through life’s winding pathways (Three of Mushrooms) with an attitude of gratitude (Nine of Sunflowers), and my willingness to show others the path to do the same (The Hierophant).

Take Away:  I’ve dealt with a crapload of pain and struggles in life. I make the conscious choice to walk that path with gratitude, and to see each experience I have (including the bad ones) as a lesson to help me become better in some way.  I choose not to live in the mentality of a victim, but rather I see these experiences are a type of wealth. That wealth is something that I both cherish as well as consciously practice gratitude for on a daily basis.

I want to share this with others, and help them through their own struggles by sharing this perspective.  Sadly, not everyone is ready or able to see things from that perspective, but I try anyway because I care and I want to help where I’m able to do so.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE NYMPHS

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: How can you break free of the illusion that acting on new ideas is the only way to suss out the best from them?

Ideal Soulmate TarotReading Summary:  Moderation is needed (Temperance), or you end up with so many things on your burner at once that your time becomes fleeting and stolen away in too many directions (Seven of Swords). Ignoring the help available to you (Two of Cups Rx) is foolhardy and unhealthy (The Fool Rx). Instead of thinking you know everything (Page of Swords Rx) remember to keep your mind and heart open to new perspectives (Ace of Cups and Hanged Man).

Take Away: Sometimes. I fall into the habit of becoming too rigid in my thinking.  The encouragement here is about being more adaptive, and allowing myself to take things in moderation.  I need to remember that help from others is a good thing, and I need to take a step back and look at why I feel so threatened by the idea of writing ideas down to save them for exploration at a later date.

I could explore more with more help from others, but with both of the center cards very definitely and clearly insistent on being Rx, what I see here is more about looking at things differently and cherishing my time rather than throwing it away by stubbornly repeating old patterns.  An open mind and open heart are needed to find a new path in this area.

DECK USED:  IDEAL SOULMATE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

It wasn’t really a kindness in the traditional sense, but I sent the entire day today working on taxes, and with each of the tasks on my list that I checked off, I could feel the weight of the pressure to get them done easing.  I didn’t get finished, but I expect that I will be able to finish up on Friday.

The You of Today

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was skipped primarily because I’ve felt so much like I’m behind schedule or behind in what needs done that totally psyched myself out of doing it. The thing is?  It’s Tuesday. I don’t really have a crap load to do.  I mean, I really need to work on my taxes, but aside from that?  This is probably my most dependably least busy day of the week.

Quirky Creatives Tarot Deck and Thera-Pets Emotional Support Animal CardsToday’s draw is the Hanged Man, which is traditionally a representation of taking a pause to gain perspective, surrendering to the will of the fates/universe, and dealing with delays or stalling.

The imagery in this card depicts aerial yoga, and is very clearly about looking within, seeking peace, and finding a new perspective through those endeavors while the rising sun in the background is a clear indication of the positive outcome taking time to gain perspective can lead to.

When combined with the Thera-Pets card for today, what I see here is a message about looking at yourself differently.  Not as a “work in progress” or something to apologize for and “work on”, but instead as a valid and complete person in this moment.  This is about acceptance of self and the fact that in being human, we are all flawed.  Those flaws help us in being unique.

Is it okay to work on being a better person?  Of course!  But don’t discount who you are right now.

DECK USED:  QUIRKY CREATIVES TAROT AND THERA-PETS EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMAL CARDS

The Sacred Grounds Tarot Club Prompt
Question: How can I love myself more deeply?

Midori Tarot

Reading Summary:  Note that the figure in the coin as well as the Hermit are both not just facing the moon but seem enraptured by it, as do the lobster, the dog, and the wolf. Make sure that you’re not focusing too deeply (Ace of Pentacles) on your uncertainties (The Moon) during what is supposed to be healthy alone time (The Hermit).

Take Away:  Sometimes? It can be really hard not to focus on the things that make you feel inadequate or less than.  Hidden uncertainties and self doubt is often hard to combat. It’s important, though, to make sure you are paying attention to these tendencies, especially during times of rest, recovery, and self reflection. During these times you are more open and susceptible to negative inner dialogue sinking in deep and sticking. Being vigilant and careful not to let these doubts and uncertainties take center stage leaves room for more positivity and more self kindness.

DECK USED:  TAROT MIDORI

#DiscordTarotolicsApr2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Is personal growth required to live a good life?

Quirky Creatives Tarot DeckReading Summary:  Kindness (Nurturer of Records) and connections (Two of Mugs) are very important. Lack of growth can drag you down and thwart these things from flourishing (Eight of Pens).

Take Away: The cards here indicate that without growth, we stand still and stagnant, even in a state of discomfort caused by being held back. Life is about potential, and nurturing connections can clear these blockages and stagnation… allowing for forward movement.

So yes.  Growth is required to live a good life.  Without it comes stagnancy and boredom.

DECK USED:  QUIRKY CREATIVES TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I let Gideon help calm down my frenzy of anxiety earlier today instead of allowing it to keep on going throughout the evening.