two of cups

Finding the Positive for April 23 – 25

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

The Fusion Tarot's Queen of Wands, Magical Messages Cards, The Gaucho's Arcana 1928 Tarot's Five of Pentacles, Once Upon a Time Cards, and Hexen 2.0 Tarot's Two of Cups

April 23 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🐇    •    ◈    •    •    •

Today’s draw is the Queen of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passion, drive, willpower, determination, values, and principles. This often translates into themes that have to do with being supportive of others projects and passions, or searching for inner truth within your own values and principles.

Make sure that you’re letting creativity flow by encouraging exploration and curiosity both in yourself and others.

Your creative spark is one of the most magical things about you, and one of the qualities that others are most inspired by. When you let it wither, you are not the only one who suffers as a result.

Today’s card combo is a reminder that creativity is a treasure given by the essence of life itself, and when neglected, you neglect not just yourself but those around you that are inspired by you, as well as the world as a whole.

DECK USED: THE FUSION TAROT AND MAGICAL MESSAGES CARDS

April 24 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🐇    •    ◈    •    •    •

Today’s draw is the Five of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of tests, trials, struggles, and setbacks in the area of one’s finances, resources, health, home, work, or manifestations. This often translates into themes that have to do with scarcity and times in life when one needs to seek out help from others instead of suffering through alone.

Stagnancy does not protect you from scarcity (whether real or imagined). If anything, it will cause those problems and associated worries to grow like weeds planted in fertilized garden beds.

Movement is your friend. Don’t hide under the covers and tremble, but instead throw the covers off and deal with the issue. Adapt and keep moving forward. Be proactive in choosing your future instead of sitting back and letting it happen to you all because you’re too scared that more scarcity is coming.

DECK USED: GAUCHO’S ARCANA 1928 TAROT AND ONCE UPON A TIME CARDS

April 25 – Mental Health Card of the Day

Today’s meditation was skipped.

•    •    •    ◈    •    🐇    •    ◈    •    •    •

Today’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of connection and unification, mutual attraction, and emotional connections.

Good stuff happens when you allow yourself to stay open to connecting with others. Sometimes empowerment requires back up from like-minded souls.

Not every goal or value can be reached or advocated for on your own. Make sure that you are connecting with others, and inviting them along for the ride on challenging journeys you decide to pursue. It will make the trek a little easier, as well as more enjoyable.

DECK USED: HEXEN 2.0 TAROT AND MAGICAL MESSAGES CARDS

🎨 Weekly Creativity Prompt – Envy in the Parking Stalls

/ Twist the Leaf / Leave a comment

Prompt: “Pull (at least) three cards from your deck and use them to write about the daydream of a vehicle of your choice. (ex: a train or plane, yours or your neighbor’s car, a city bus, etc.)”

Golden Age of Romance Comics Tarot - The Sun, The Star, The Emperor, Two of Cups, Three of Wands, Six of Pentacles, Ace of Wands

Look at her over there tucked in her stall, all beautiful and eager and ready to go at a moment’s notice (Ace of Wands). She’s so clean and cared for, shiny and bright (The Star). I’d purr like a kitten too (The Sun) if I had an owner like hers (The Emperor). He really knows how to pamper her, going out of his way to provide for her needs (Six of Coins). We’d see the world together if he were mine (Three of Wands and Two of Cups).

DECK USED: GOLDEN AGE OF ROMANCE COMICS TAROT

Puzzle Pieces

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_6276Today’s meditation was just under eleven minutes long and another one of the guided meditations with added interval timer to help me know when I need to change positions in my piriformis stretching.

The guided meditation topic for today’s meditation was mindful eating and spoke about how lots of people have food issues from overeating to underrating for a variety of reasons including emotional issues, scarcity issues, etc. I personally have my own issues with food, although in my case it’s about not being able to balance out my metabolism and nutritional needs. This means that I eat a -lot- of food, and considering my addictive personality issues?  It’s probably a good thing that I need to.

That said, the topic of the meditation was that we need to take more time to really sink into and enjoy our food, focusing on the flavors and textures and satiation aspect available in every bite. I do this quite often, but not all the time. I think everyone does a little “mindless eating” now and then and that it’s natural, although I can see how being more mindful of the food put into your mouth could possibly turn around some food related issues.

Botan Tarot - Two of CupsToday’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of unions, duality, and partnerships in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, and creativity.  This often comes across as harmonious attractions and themes of mutual attraction, although not always in a romantic manner.

Like most of the other cards that I’ve pulled from this deck so far this month, it isn’t any one specific element in the imagery that catches my attention.  Instead this deck seems to communicate most strongly to me through color and composition.

What I see in this imagery today is harmonious flow.  Sometimes, harmony isn’t about equality, nor is it about balance.  Sometimes it’s about working together and allowing each other’s differences to compliment each other and support each other.

It’s us.  You and me.  We are so very different, and yet together we are more than we could ever be apart.  We support each other, and we provide something each of the other of us doesn’t have.  It’s our differences that create the perfect fit and harmonious union that we have with each other.

I love you.

DECK USED:  BOTAN TAROT

#Zentember #LovelyHealing Challenge Prompt
Question: What needs healing on my sacral chakra?

English Magic Tarot

Reading Summary: Libido fluctuations (imagery in Temperance) weighing heavily (Two of Coins) and creating repressed feelings of responsibility and failure (Knight of Cups Rx).

Side Note:  I was actually starting to wonder if I’d be able to read this deck.  It’s communication is a bit different than what I’ve encountered in the past and I’m struggling with it a bit.  I’ve used it in a few readings thus far, but tossed out the readings because they weren’t “flowing” with my intuition.

Take Away: I need to work at not considering my libido fluctuation as an actual failing on my part. It hasn’t been the same since the cancer and my RPLND, and I get it.  I get that all of that changed things, but I feel so fucking guilty about it having changed and like I’m not giving enough anymore.

I know that our relationship is so much more than just sex… but  sometimes I feel like such a fucking failure in this area.

DECK USED:  ENGLISH MAGIC TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsSep2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What makes me feel… Excited / Happy / Calm

Science TarotWhat makes me feel excited?
Queen of Pentacles

Creation.  Manifestation.  Giving birth to something new.  An idea that is then brought into the real world.  This excites me.  Sometimes my ideas never make it to reality, other times they will eventually but have to be put on the back burner a while first.   But when my creative ideas really do get to be brought forward, worked on, and developed into something real and tangible instead of just concept and thought?   That excites me, no matter how many times it happens.

What makes me feel happy?
Judgement

It makes me happy to know that I’m on the right path.  Knowing that my intuition and moral compass are taking me in the right direction for me, and helping me to not just survive but thrive from one day to the next.  Even when I don’t do things how everyone else does, even when I often see things differently, or process things differently… in the end, my intuition and moral compass continue to steer me right and keep me on track and flourishing.

What makes me feel calm?
Two of Cups

This completely relates back to my COTD pull for today, which is to say… what makes me feel calm is Gideon.  Not just Gideon, but the fact that he is so very different than I am, so I know that I can go to him for whatever I need, whether that be perspective, support, or even validation.  He is the “missing piece” that helps me find my balance when I’m feeling off kilter.

DECK USED:  SCIENCE TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How do I inspire others?

Archeon Tarot

Reading Summary: In times of uncertainty (The Moon) I inspire others to see what is good in their life (Nine of Pentacles) and to go after their heart’s desires (Knight of Cups).

Take Away:  This is something that I really enjoy in life.  It brings me great pleasure to help people work through the shadows of uncertainty and clouded darkness of one’s illusions of pessimism to see that there really is value in their life and they are worth the motivation and effort needed to obtain their dreams. It’s a part of that pleasure that I take in helping others find the path that works for them.  I very much hope that what the cards say here is true.  

DECK USED:  ARCHEON TAROT

Weekly Creativity Prompt – The Playlist

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

This is a repeat exercise from back in March!

Have you ever listened to a song and suddenly realized “This song is such a Tower song!”? This week’s activity is based off the love of music and how we associate music with the world around us.

Activity: Randomly draw five cards from your deck. For each card pick (or find) a song that you feel fits that card perfectly.

Bianco Nero Tarot

Nine of Swords – X Amount of Words by Blue October
https://youtu.be/X_jY7wILH-E

Four of Cups – Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage
https://youtu.be/GpBFOJ3R0M4

Two of Cups Rx – We Don’t Talk Together by Heize
https://youtu.be/ByHNlfmmT-w

Wheel of Fortune – Everything Falls Apart by Dog’s Eye View
https://youtu.be/Maz6jFdvn2Q

Knight of Cups Rx – That XX by G Dragon
https://youtu.be/j57IzkTFnT8

What We Have

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Although I meditated today, it wasn’t my normal type of meditation.  Instead I did my meditation while sitting in traffic with a combination of slow breathing exercises and focus on physical sensations such as the touch of the air moving over my skin.   It was a long drive, and I’m a bit out of practice in the commute now that I’m only taking it once every three weeks instead of twice a week.   The breathing exercises and focus on using those physical sensations as a calming influence helped immensely in keeping my stress in line as I dealt with traffic.

Herbal Tarot - Uva Ursi - Two of CupsToday’s draw is the Two of Cups, which traditionally is interpreted as a card depicting harmonious union and cooperation between two parties.

Uva Ursi is an herb of purification and cleansing, and when combined with what stood out most strongly to me in this card’s imagery today (that would be the caduceus above the cups) what I see here is a message concerning combining strengths to heal.

This card’s appearance today is a representation of our relationship and a reminder of what our union creates.

We are each strong and independent in our own right, and when brought together our skills compliment and reinforce each other, our knowledge and our emotions bolster each other, and the relationship becomes one of support and healing on both sides, each benefiting from the other’s strengths.

DECK USED:  HERBAL TAROT

#TarotForGrowthJune Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I better channel anger into a force of positive change?

The Golden Girls Tarot

Reading Summary: Use that anger combined with the tools at my disposal (The Magician) to inspire (The Star) my passions (Page of Wands and Four of Wands).

Take Away:  The Page of Wands and Four of Wands don’t just indicate my passions in this reading, but rather those passions that create within me a sense of progress and pleasure.  Some of my passions are directionless.  Others are more addiction based.  Those are not the type of passions referenced here.

Here in the cards is a reference to the safe and secure passions that create within me a sense of accomplishment and progress while still bringing me a feeling of joy and stability.   When I need to channel my anger, it is in this direction that I should channel it, transforming it into a flare of that creative spark within me to spur forward my pursuits.

DECK USED:  THE GOLDEN GIRLS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsJun2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: How does my inner child feel right now?

Nicoletta Ceccoli Tarot Reading Summary: Alice is uncertainty in all three positions.
Position 1) shyness + uncertainty and a need for comfort from others,
Position 2) curious + uncertainty and a need for comforting from the self, and
Position 3) irritation + uncertainty spurred by a vicious inner narrative.

Take Away:  The current state of my inner child is one of shyness, curiosity, and a hint of irritation hidden within the wings.  All of these are overshadowed by a sense of uncertainty and a need for comfort.  When the irritation blended with that uncertainty shows its terrible face, my inner critic slips in and begins to draw blood.

So the key here is that my inner child feels vulnerable.  The flavor of vulnerability might change depending on what has captured its attention in the moment, but the sense of vulnerability and uncertainty is always present.

DECK USED:  NICOLETTA CECCOLI TAROT

#TheJuneTarot Challenge by Lionhart
Question: How can I use this energy to my personal best advantage?

Dame Darcy's Mermaid Tarot

Reading Summary: Don’t forget to take in others input (Three of Pentacles) while sorting out and gathering up (Ace of Wands)what passions you’re carrying forward with you (King of Wands).

Take Away:  The previous reading on this topic indicated that discernment and destruction are the energies this month holds for me.  The cards today indicate that as I’m tearing things down to start certain pursuits and passions anew, make sure that this isn’t a solitary task.   Take in input from others, accept their help and their ideas. Allow them to help you begin anew, and allow them to be there to build you up along your journey.

DECK USED:  DAME DARCY’S MERMAID TAROT

 

Support and Growth

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

IMG_2920Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long, and was about dealing with conflict and taking a moment to “step back” during times of conflict in order to see them from an “outside view” rather than internalizing and getting wrapped up in the moment.

The guided meditation also touched on one of the key tenants to my life, which is the assertion that conflict and difficulties are a part of our lives not to break us down, but rather to build us up and make us better and/or stronger.

Every once in a while I run across those that seem to refuse to see the negative things that have happened in their life in any sort of positive light.  Instead, they choose to cast themselves as a victim, and view this horrible thing in their life that happened as the “destroyer” of good in their lives.

I have a hard time with this perspective, and I’m not sure how to communicate with people about moving forward and strength when they so stubbornly stick to this viewpoint.  I always feel a desire to help, but how do you help someone that chooses to sit in the mud and won’t even consider the possibility of standing up?

Right, so that sort of went off on my own little tangent.  Sorry about that.

Two of Cups - Hush TarotToday’s draw is the Two of Cups, which is traditionally read as partnerships and themes to do with unity in the area of one’s emotions, relationships, creativity, and intuition.

What I see in this card is about support, though.  In the imagery both of the harpy women seem to be supporting each other on an emotional level.  It is in the tilt of the heads and angle of the chins.  There is sanctuary here in this partnership.  A connection that feels both familiar and familial.

The message for me in today’s card is that I need to make peace with those I love.  We support each other through the hard times, and are there for each other when needed.  Sometimes?  Conflicts happen.  But in the grand scheme of things, these conflicts are unimportant, and it’s the connection and support that matters.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Where would I most benefit from patience at this time?

Tarocco degli Animali

Reading Summary:  I need to make sure I’m not judging myself too harshly (Judgement) when it takes time to get the money together (Five of Coins)  to support my ambitions (Queen of Swords).  Don’t worry about the flow of money, forcing yourself into an even more stringent spendthrift will not make things move faster (Four of Coins).

Take Away:  The cards are indicating that I need to allow things to unfold at their own pace.  Making myself miserable by being miserly is not going to move things along any quicker.  Just let it move along at its own pace and practice patience.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO DEGLI ANIMALI

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What area of my life is requiring too much sacrifice at this time?

Tarocco delle Vetrate

Reading Summary:  Trying to find a balance between bolstering my self confidence (Six of Wands) and protecting myself (Nine of Wands) is stealing away (Seven of Swords) my ability to get to where I want to be (Ten of Cups).

Take Away:  As I work at pulling myself out of the fog of uncertainty and self doubt that I’ve been experiencing for the past couple of months, I’m trying too hard to both open myself up to seeking out the light… and keeping a protective outer shell in place. 

These contrasting efforts are preventing me from getting to that place of contentment and abundance I seek in my personal life.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO DELLE VETRATE

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How am I using my intuition in my life right now?

Jonasa Jaus Tarot

Reading Summary: I’m using my intuition to assist me in keeping myself afloat (Four of Wands) as I struggle with inner darkness (Devil) and healing from the damage and doubts that winter’s events cast upon me (Nine of  Swords).  Hidden behind that darkness I struggle with is the long term growth I’m seeking (Seven of Pentacles).

Take Away:  In my current situation, I am using my intuition as a life preserver to help me in keeping myself from sinking back into the fog.  Although not my only life preserver, it is helping me stay afloat so that I can keep moving forward.

DECK USED:  JONASA JAUS TAROT