using tarot for guidance

🌑 New Moon in Sagittarius – November 2022

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Tomorrow is the new moon, and like all new moons and full moons, I did a spread aligned to the moon’s current themes as a part of my recognition of the moon’s cycle and influences upon us. Today’s spread is about the medicine within, and brought to you by Ethony‘s Tarot by the Moon series.

New Moon in Sagittarius Oracle Reading with The Shaman's Dream Oracle

What bad habit need to be kicked to the curb?

Wailing Tree – As recently pointed out in another reading that was done the other day, it’s time to examine where you are holding on to things from your past that need to be let go and begin releasing your resentment in these areas.  Forgive yourself, and consider softening harsh feelings towards others that were involved. These feelings are harming you far more than they are harming those others.

What positive steps can I take instead?

The Farther Gate – Step beyond your pain and resentment. Take the first step in moving past these issues. That first step can be much harder than you think, but is well worth it to find freedom from that ugliness you hold onto.

Where can I bring some adventure into my life?

A Tidy House – Who needs adventure? Get your ducks in a row and your safe space sorted instead. Only after you have this sorted will you be ready for “adventure”.

What needs shaking up?

Closing Door – That project that you’ve been feeling is decreasing in its margin of success? Don’t close that door just yet. Set it aside for a while, and come back to it later when you have some extra time to commit to it.

New Moon advice from the Minoan Goddess Amalthea.

The Wall atop Root Girl – Dig deep into yourself to find the strength to move past obstacles this month. There will be plenty of them to stand in your path, but if you stay calm and dig deep within yourself for direction and answers, you will move through  each obstacle without fail.

DECK USED: THE SHAMAN’S DREAM ORACLE

Warmth and Comfort Lenormand Reading

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Warmth and Comfort Lenormand Reading with The Blackbird Lenormand

What brings me inner warmth and comfort?

Moon and Tree – Emotional health. Well… yeah. When my emotional health is on the upswing, I feel comfort and warmth.  I feel like everything is better and I’m more easily able to connect with others, as well as more comfortable with myself.

How can I kindle an inner fire in the cold months?

Stars and Fox – Have faith and trust in yourself, and in your ability to adapt and apply strategy to get you out of tough spots. It isn’t just cleverness… it isn’t just hope and positivity.  It’s a combination of both that will keep you warm and motivated.

How can I share that warmth and glow with those around me?

Clouds and Cross – Show them how its done. Others look to you for guidance in times when they are struggling and feeling uncertain. Show them how to use that combination of practicality, strategy, cleverness, hope, and positivity. Show them what it can build and create.

When should I turn to others for comfort and support?

Fish and Crossroads – When you find yourself struggling with direction and unable to just go with the flow.

DECK USED: THE BLACKBIRD LENORMAND

Walk, Don’t Run

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

Lux Ex Umbra TarotToday’s draw is the Cavalier de Épée (Knight of Swords), which is traditionally a representation of a projective active beta energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s thoughts, intellect, education, ambitions, logic, and communications.

I find it amusing that I pulled the Mercury card today, as I am feeling very mercurial, especially after somehow getting locked out of my IG account and going through the whole verification process with no results forthcoming.

The card encourages care instead of impulsivity… and I’m going to take its advice and do my best to be patient instead of jumping around screaming at the top of my lungs.

DECK USED:  LUX EX UMBRA TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2022 Challenge Prompt
Question for November 21st: Advice I need to hear at this time concerning the holidays ahead.

L'oracle des Êtres Invisibles de la NatureReading Summary: Let go of your rigid grip of control and have a little faith in things working out how you want on their own (Les Ondines). You don’t have to push yourself so damn hard, or punish yourself for no good reason (Les Dryades). You are remarkable and what you can accomplish is remarkable, connect with others to share with them the energy you create when getting things done (Les Elfes).

Take Away: You don’t have to tackle the holiday rush alone, so don’t corner yourself into doing just that. Ease up on that controlling grip enough to let others in so that they can help by taking some of the weight off your shoulders.

DECK USED: L’ORACLE DES ÊTRES INVISIBLES DE LA NATURE

Mr Lionhart’s The Suits: Revisited #TheNovemberTarot Prompt
Questions for November 21st and 22nd

Lux Ex Umbra TarotSuit of Swords – How can I best keep focus on the things that are good for me?

Valet d’Épée and Ten of Cups – Learn to lean into the things that make you feel content and happy, and to share those feelings with others.

Suit of Swords – How, or where, is my spiritual practice strengthening me?

Three of Swords Rx and Two of Swords – Your spiritual practice allows you to see things in a more positive light, and through that perspective, choose a better path.

DECK USED: LUX EX UMBRA TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

This is a catch-up post, and I can’t remember what self-kindness I might have done on this day.

Connections Within Diversity

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

The Unfolding Path Tarot - The HierophantToday’s draw is the Hierophant card, which is traditionally a representation of tradition, spiritual guidance, long standing institutions, teachers and guides, and themes that deal with conformity and social norms.

What stands out to me the strongest in the imagery for today’s card is the scarf that this holy man wears.  It holds symbols not just from one religion, but from a great many of them, and feels like a reminder that there is no “one true way” when it comes to faith, beliefs, and traditions.

We all have our beliefs and those things that are a part of our history and tradition, and there’s a great value in that. Here in today’s card, though, what we see is a reminder that even through our differences we can connect.

DECK USED:  UNFOLDING PATH TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2022 Challenge Prompt
Topic for November 20th: Do Spread 3

The Forest OracleWhat have I been taking for granted?

Enchantment – The magic of healing and comfort that comes from time spent out in nature among the trees. You haven’t gotten a lot of time out in nature this summer and fall due to circumstances beyond your control, but don’t forget the benefits you get from time in the forest and give yourself permission to seek out that connection, even through the winter months when the green is dormant and the ground is frozen.

What’s been holding me back from seeing my blessings clearly?

Heal – You have to allow yourself what you need to heal.  Time in nature, time to rest, and other self-care that will give you the restorative healing you need. Stop withholding these things from yourself as a form of punishment, and be open and receptive to them instead.

How can I better express my gratitude in the future?

Crossroads – Look at the times you have chosen to go against your nature. To hold grudges, to be unforgiving, to be unpleasant instead of kind. In the future, seek out choosing a better path. A path that is for aligned with your nature. Sometimes it can be difficult to get past those baser instincts, but when you do, you are better able to identify those things to be grateful for.

What do I need to acknowledge gratitude for in my relationships?

Abundance – Just how much you have.  How many friends you have.  How many people there are in your life that love you… that care about you, and are there for you. It is in taking these things for granted that you miss out on all that you have to be grateful for.

What do I need to acknowledge gratitude for in my finances?

Leadership – You are the master of your own castle and all that lies within it. That means you have the ability to make whatever decisions are needed, change things as you wish, and take full control of your finances and resources to move them as needed.

What do I need to acknowledge gratitude for in my work life?

Hibernation – That it’s not this busy all of the time. There are busy times, and then there are quiet times. Although the holiday rush is a crazy time of year and extremely busy, you are also given times in which to breathe, relax, and recover. You can’t sustain the holiday rush year round, so having the lulls that allow you this time for other things is important.

DECK USED: THE FOREST ORACLE

@The.Journey.Well ‘s Friendship & Community Challenge Prompt
Questions for November 19th and 20th

The Unfolding Path TarotHow can solitude empower you?

Two of Cups Rx atop Ace of Cups – Stepping away to have some solitude out of the influence of others gives you the opportunity to see and process your emotions without their bias guiding you. The more you experiment and experience processing emotions in this way, the more confidence in doing so you will build.

What kind of social life empowers you?

Ace of Wands and Ten of Pentacles – You are empowered by relationships that allow your creative juices to flow while supporting you with stability. You need both that freedom for your spark of inspiration, as well as that sense of stability and security.

DECK USED: UNFOLDING PATH TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I watched a movie today.  It sucked, but it helped ease my nerves a bit while I worked. It -did- slow me down a bit in my work, but not enough that I didn’t get done what I needed to for the day.

❤️ Self Care Saturday (On a Sunday)

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These Saturday readings are (not usually) bearing in on any one thing or event in my life, as the question used is asking for a more general outlook. This is a self care exercise, and is not meant as a predictive reading… although that, too, happens on occasion.

The question is… What do I need to focus for self-care through the week ahead?

Wandering Moon Tarot and The Blackbird Lenormand

Earth – Five of Stars (Pentacles) – Pinch your pennies this week and make sure you are keeping an eye on feelings of scarcity.  Don’t panic when they rise up and try to mess with you, but instead become even more attentive to making sure everything is dealt with and all your bases are covered. The extra diligence against those scarcity issues coming into reality will pay off this week.

Air – Knight of Moons (Cups) – Keep your eye on the prize this week when it comes to what you want vs what you need. Make sure you are only being impulsive on practical matters, and not the “easy come, easy go” frivolous ones.

Water – Page of Wands – Adaptation for those things you care about doesn’t have to be difficult. Roll with the punches instead of fighting against them, and you will adapt and thrive, even under the face of any challenges or changes that might come on your way to your goals.

Fire – Queen of Swords – Help your business to continue to thrive through strategy and know how.  There are all challenges you’ve confronted before. Use this knowledge you’ve gained to your advantage as you go through them again this holiday season.

Waning – Heart and Tree – As the week goes on, it’s going to be harder and harder to put your physical and emotional needs first. Although these aspects of life are important, make sure it comes second to things of higher priority this week.

Waxing – Moon and Stork – Not putting those aspects first will set the stage for some unpleasantness emotionally. Keep an eye on your depression and emotional balance this week.  Make sure you don’t fall so far down the rabbit hole of self neglect that you damage your emotional health and well-being.

Take Away – Practical matters come first this week, and they very much need to.  That balance between the self-care aspects of life and your work are definitely not going to be working in tandem this week, and you’re going to have to lean into practical matters and be sure you don’t allow distractions to draw you off course either financially or in relation to your goals and business.

DECKS USED: THE WANDERING MOON TAROT AND THE BLACKBIRD LENORMAND

The Next Adventure

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Today’s meditation was skipped.

El Goliath Tarot 2nd EditionToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of bailing on a situation out of frustration or disappointment, themes of abandonment or withdrawal, and moving on.

What stands out to me the strongest today in the imagery on this card is that at the very top of that long staircase that the cat has begun to climb… the door is open.  Not wide open, but it is open all the same.

This speaks to me of the promise of opportunity, and curiosity means that there’s a bit of eagerness involved in seeing what’s on the other side.  But in order to head up that big ass flight of stairs?  You’re going to have to leave everything behind. It’s a long climb and carrying extra burdens isn’t going to help.

What I see as the message in this card is that often, when we’re looking at making a change, we forget that we have to leave behind the past in order to move forward. If we focus on our curiosity, eagerness will flourish and that open door at the end of the climb becomes a treat you seek to obtain, your focus on the potential of what’s to come.    Not so, unfortunately, if you try to haul all your past baggage up those stairs with you.   So when looking at new opportunities?  Make sure you’re leaving your baggage behind, and not trying to carry it with you to the next adventure.

DECK USED:  EL GOLIATH TAROT 2ND EDITION

#DiscordTarotholicsNov2022 Challenge Prompt
Questions for November 19th

Untamed Spirits Animal OracleGreatest Strength – Squirrel – You are resourceful and you find the task of providing for yourself to often be more of a game than a chore. It’s all about testing yourself and predicting what is needed, finding the path forward that will create the greatest amount of success and provide for yourself and others. This makes you better able to do these things without feeling as if you are being taken advantage of or wearing yourself down.

Greatest Weakness – Seahorse – As much as structure and consistency are good for you, they can be hard for you to stick to. And when you aim for them, then something goes awry, you have a habit of coming down on yourself far harder than necessary.  This creates in you a difficult relationship with constancy and consistency, especially in your self care.

Finding Balance – Swan – Be kinder to yourself. It’s okay to slip up, and it’s okay to be carefree now and then and -enjoy- things. There’s nothing wrong with it, even if you were taught otherwise. Don’t allow that negative inner narrative of yours to treat you harshly, and be kind and forgiving with yourself instead.

DECK USED: UNTAMED SPIRIT ANIMAL ORACLE

Mr Lionhart’s The Suits: Revisited #TheNovemberTarot Prompt
Questions for November 19th and 20th

El Goliath Tarot 2nd EditionSuit of Swords – Where, or in what way, is my current energy hindering my growth?

Nine of Swords and Five of Wands – Fear of conflict. Sometimes the negativity that comes with conflict can be extremely overwhelming and the sharp words spoken can hurt. You need to examine where you are avoiding conflict due to the fear of that pain… and decide if this is really something you need to be afraid of, or if you can let go of that fear and act with a bit more freedom as a result.

Suit of Swords – What am I asked to overcome/embrace in support of my best self?

Three of Swords Rx and The Ojibwe Catcher – The dreams you have abandoned have been let go for a reason.  Instead of being down on yourself about the releasing of those dreams, embrace the opportunities that having let go of them provides. It’s okay to mourn the things you didn’t do, but don’t let it eat you up inside, or create a trap that leaves you shoving others away as a way to punish yourself.

DECK USED: EL GOLIATH TAROT 2ND EDITION

Daily Self Kindness

I got to spend some time with Gideon playing again tonight and it was really nice.  I needed some “us” time.