using tarot for guidance

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?

Victorian Romantic Tarot, Magical Menagerie Oracle, Dreamscape Oracle

Earth – Ten of Pentacles atop Queen of Swords, Sow atop Pegasus – Things are good… Make sure that you’re keeping an eye on things so that they stay that way.  Make sure that you approach this watchfulness through a place of nurturing and encouragement towards growth instead of a mindset of perfectionism and rigid idealism.

Air – High Priestess and Firebird – Let your intuition guide you and making plans and strategizing your way forward. Changes to your business are troubling your mind, but your intuition combined with your inner knowledge on how to proceed to your best advantage will keep things on track.  Trust yourself.

Water – Four of Pentacles atop The Moon, Fox – Don’t sit on your laurels. Backsliding is still possible. Use your natural cunning intelligence to plot and plan so that you do not find yourself stalling out and stagnant, as that stagnancy will allow uncertainty to slip in and begin to drag you back down again.

Fire – Page of Cups atop Seven of Pentacles, Cow – Be patient and don’t let your current emotions veer you off your chosen path. Taking your time will allow the wealth and good fortune you seek through your endeavors to come your way. So be sure that you are fostering growth and not looking for immediate gratification.

Waning – Sea Turtle – Just drifting along is not going to work for you any longer.  This doesn’t mean it’s time to be setting out concrete plans, but it means that you need to be prepared and ready to move when the time is right.

Waxing – The Spring – It’s time to focus on healing, hope, and optimism.  Now is the time to allow yourself to climb and to reach for the light that shimmers above.  Use this time to cleanse your inner negativity and seek a healthier outlook and path.

Take Away – Sometimes avoiding stagnancy and backsliding is more about mindset than action, and this week will be one of those weeks.  Make sure you are focusing on the positive and not allowing space for negative inner dialogue to sneak in and gain strength. Remember that you are intelligent, capable, and cunning.  There may be a few hurdles this week concerning your business, but you’ve got this… and you’ll come out the other end all the better if you take time to prepare mentally and physically for the challenges to come.

DECKS USED:  VICTORIAN ROMANTIC TAROT, MAGICAL MENAGERIE ORACLE, DREAMSCAPE ORACLE

Sometimes Support Helps

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I got home late and didn’t want to wait any longer than needed to get online and spend some time with Gideon.  I then ended up taking a nap while he went to town so I guess maybe I should’ve meditated before my nap, but I didn’t.

Modern Love Tarot - The ChariotToday’s draw is the Chariot card, which is traditionally a representation of willpower and movement forward driven by determination.

Not surprisingly, what stands out to me the strongest in the imagery of today’s card is the pup with the wheel apparatus.  Also posture of the woman walking the dogs and tilt of her head.

The message here is that sometimes to move forward we need a helping hand, no matter how determined we are.  Just as the dog is able to keep going by the grace of the wheels the pup wears.

The woman walks with pride and strength, and the tilt of her head and her posture remind me of my sister.  It’s a reminder that my sister is a part of my support system, and when I feel my drive or will faltering, she is someone I can turn to to alternately kick me in the ass, or help me find what I need to keep going.

DECK USED:  MODERN LOVE TAROT

The Radical Love Tarot Challenge Prompt
Topic: Resistance 
Question: What is the path forward to sharing my emotions more freely with others?

Romantic Tarot

Reading Summary: Judicious sharing is important (The Hanged Man). Take things slowly and do what you can a bit at a time (Page of Coins) so that you don’t end up paying for impulsive follies (Justice).

Take Away:  It is so ingrained within me to keep my emotions to myself and buried deep that sometimes it feels nearly impossible to express them clearly. It often feels like more than just restraint but an inner resistance that I have to fight against just to get out the words. That is, when I even have the words to get them out in a clear way.  The cards here indicate that the endeavor to be more open is not an unwise one, but is one in which a bit of care and precaution needs to be taken in order to ensure repercussions don’t come back to smack me in the face as a result of doing so.

DECK USED:  ROMANTIC TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsFeb2021 Challenge Prompt
Question:  How can I best become more confident in the skill? (Built on yesterday’s prompt.)

Modern Love TarotReading Summary: Use that skill only when you need it (Four of Cups) and don’t hesitate (Knight of Pentacles Rx), your heart and intuition will lead the way (Ace of Cups).

Take Away: The skill in question is to make quick and decisive decisions on the fly when needed that turn out okay in the end and, in fact, often even end up benefiting me or my business.

The key to becoming more confident in this skill is in not overusing it.  When it’s needed, it will be there for you and is a part of my intuitive abilities.  Don’t worry about it and don’t depend on it when other tactics, such as preparation and planning, can accomplish things in a less stressful and/or reckless manner.

DECK USED:  MODERN LOVE TAROT

Daily Self Kindness

I allowed myself to have today off.  I did not work on orders, nor did I even respond to customers today.  Instead I set the business aside and allowed myself to have a day away from it all.  So far, I am not feeling guilty about it.

Morning Bonus Read – Managing Depression

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Graphic Cheatsheet Playing Cards

Card to represent my depression.

Four of Hearts (Watermelon Bliss) – For a few days in the past week, I found myself at the very bottom of the pit and struggling to stay afloat in the mire that covers the bottom.  But now, I am no longer in that place.  I am still in the pit, and the light is still so very far away, but it is more of a dejected feeling of disinterest than abject misery of soul rotting decay.  Dejection with just a sliver of hope is the current status of my depression.

Something I need to learn about my depression.

Ace of Clubs (Paper Sizes) – The roots of inspiration have no place to dig within the mire of my depression, the soil too loose and heavy like trying to plant seeds within clay or sand.  There is no nutrients to feed those roots, and stability in which to be supported and grow strong.  Inspiration cannot be forced… instead you just wait until you can see the light once more in order to plant those seeds in fertile soil.

An action I can take to help my depression.

Three of Clubs (Sweet Starfruit) – Small steps. Just like taking little nibbles out of a cookie will eventually turn into having ate the entire thing, each small step forward in the darkness will take you a little closer to the light, even when at times you cannot see the light you are moving toward.  Do not allow yourself to stand still and stagnate.  Every small step of self care and healthy choices help you in getting a little closer to the freedom you seek.

How I can show myself more compassion.

Seven of Spades (Waterlily Lake) – Watch out for sneaky inner dialogue slipping in to screw with you when you’re not expecting.  Don’t buy into those lying whispers and negative, snarky judgements that slither through your mind and try to pollute your thinking. You know it’s the depression speaking and not a reflection of reality.

How I can find joy in my life right now.

Four of Spades (Peaceful Droplets) atop Five of Spades (Compassionate Aura) – Set down your anger and your need to strike out, to share your pain in unhealthy ways.  That, too, is your depression trying to control and influence you.  Instead, seek healthy ways to unload your burden and ease your mind so that you can rest more easily without a guilty conscience.

A reason to stay strong.

Ten of Diamonds (The Unknown) – If you give in to the whispers that swirl within you during your depression, you can end up deconstructing every single bit of stability and security you have built up over time for yourself and those that depend upon you.  Instead, stay focused on all that you have accomplished and remember that you are stronger than this… and will make it through to the other side with the help of those you so often help every single day.

DECK USED:  GRAPHIC CHEATSHEET PLAYING CARDS

Open and Honest

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Today’s meditation was skipped because I ended up dozing off in the middle of it and taking a brief nap.  Although it was just a short nap, I was worried that if I tried again I’d end up taking yet another longer nap.  Granted, I did end up doing that later in the afternoon, but I also managed to get some stuff done today so I didn’t sleep the whole day away as I was worried that I would if I’d tried to meditate a second time.

Broken Mirror Tarot 4th EditionToday’s draw is the Empress card, which is traditionally a representation of the Divine Feminine’s qualities of strength and grounded, nurturing energy.  It’s about power, but also a connection to the earth and the nurturing energy of motherhood.

What stands out to me today in the imagery of this card is the heart on the Empress’ sleeve.  The energy of the Empress is both giving and forgiving, nurturing through warmth, support, and generosity.  The heart on her sleeve speaks eloquently of these qualities.

The message in today’s card is about embodying that openness in oneself, just as how the Empress wears her heart on her sleeve.  Don’t bottle up your emotions or hide them from others.  This hinders people from knowing the real you and holds you apart from those you might otherwise connect with.

Instead, try to stay open and honest about your emotions.  Allow them to show and to shine through… even the bad ones but especially those loving ones that will foster connection with others.

DECK USED:  BROKEN MIRROR TAROT 4TH EDITION

The Radical Love Tarot Challenge Prompt
Topic:  Moments where I find myself

Elemental Power Tarot

The Hermit – In the woods. Society out of sight and out of mind. Just me and the trees.  I find myself within this alone time, by connecting with nature and with my need for nature. Healthy alone time in the embrace of the forests is my most favorite type of alone time, and helps me find the steady, grounding energy I need in order to survive and thrive in the busy world we all deal with on the day to day. My time alone in the woods is a time of centering and grounding, of drawing in the earth’s energy and blending it with my own to find the quiet core whisper of the self that can sometimes become muffled in the chaos.

Queen of Coins – When I consult with my mentor for a better path and she helps me find the rooted steps I need. Z has been mentoring my sister and I since we were nine years old.  She has always helped me in finding my way back to myself, and how to find what is my personal truth, when I am feeling lost or uncertain on my spiritual path. She has taught me over the years what it means to know thyself, and to know what is right for you, as well as how to stand up for what is right for you and claim it as yours rather than allowing others to distort it into what they think is right.

Ace of Coins – When I am creating new things. One of my greatest joys is taking an idea and tapping into my creative spark to manifest that idea into reality. I create new designs of jewelry and have new ideas for fresh and new designs all the time.  I have designed and created furniture, trinkets, graphics, artwork, and crafts.  I plant seeds and grow from those seeds flowers, vegetables, and crops. I write reams and reams of stories as imagination is put down into text and storylines. The manifestation power in the Ace of Coins is with me every day in one small way or another.

DECK USED:  ELEMENTAL POWER TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicsFeb2021 Challenge Prompt
Question:  What is a hidden talent I possess that needs encouragement?

Broken Mirror Tarot 4th EditionReading Summary:  I have the ability to move fast (Seven of Coins Rx) and take decisive action (Knight of Swords) when needed and have it turn out positive in the end (The Star).

Take Away: This is about adaptability and course correction.  It’s about how things have felt so uncertain in the world (and thus in my home business) over the past year and how I am able to make momentary decisions that turn out to “work out” in the end to keep things with the business moving in a positive and successful direction. I’ve felt a little bit of uncertainty lately because of the Canadian side of my business model (my Canadian half of the business is down here and living with my sister and I for almost a year now), and some restrictions and changes they’ve been saying they are going to put in to effect up there. It’s starting to sound like my house guest might be here for another year, that I might have some problems getting that part of my taxes done, etc.

The message here in these cards is to remember that I’m capable and adept at making quick decisions that allow things to keep moving.  I’m good at adapting.  I’ll find a way to make things work and keep things going no matter what, so stop allowing worries to take control and eat away at my confidence in myself.

DECK USED:  BROKEN MIRROR TAROT 4TH EDITION

Daily Self Kindness

I got all of my medical bills submitted to the insurance company today. I’ve been putting this off for months because it’s such a pain in the ass. Today I made sure I got all of the different receipts collected together and submitted.  23 of them in all. It’s a little thing, but it feels huge.

Reactionary Sensitivities

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IMG_9254Today’s meditation was just over twelve minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app with added interval timer for my piriformis stretching.

The focus of today’s meditation was a loving kindness exercise that I, surprisingly, didn’t feel all that uncomfortable with. Usually?  I do, but for some reason, today it went really smoothly.

It is, in a nutshell, an exercise where you first do a body scan and build up loving kindness energy for yourself, then seek to direct that energy to someone you care about, and then someone you aren’t particularly fond of… and then expand it outward to encompass everyone and everything.

Tarocco Sopraffino Anima Antiqua - Nine of CupsToday’s draw is the Nine of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of emotional satiation and contentment. Like the Nine of Pentacles, this card is a bit about wallowing in one’s good fortune and getting in touch with their gratitude, although in this case it is an emotional good fortune instead of a physical one.

Okay so to be honest what really stands out to me today in this card is the fact there’s a little black spot on the bottom right of the card.  A SPOT!   I’m going to have to go through the deck and figure out what the fuck happened.  Maybe it’s just a bit of debris from my plant specimen box.
We’ll see.

And… yeah.   So here’s the message.  Don’t let the small stuff screw up what would otherwise be a perfectly good mood.

DECK USED:  TAROCCO SOPRAFFINO ANIMA ANTIQUA

LionHart’s Mercury Retrograde Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question:  How can I use this New Moon cycle to help me move forward?

Fournier's Tarot Cats by Ana Juan

 Reading Summary: Remember that you have the strength to get through this (Strength). Up and downs happen in life (Wheel of Fortune), but you are more than strong enough to weather the storm (Nine of Swords).

Just sayin’… but I love this deck.

Take Away: The new moon is all about new energy and the build of that energy over the next two weeks.  It is about having come to the end and starting over, the last full moon’s energy has wanned and is now gone, the energy for the next full moon now builds.

As I ride that energy forward over the next two weeks, these cards are reminding me that my Nine of Swords experience with my depression isn’t going to last forever.  Life has lots of ups and downs, and now I’m in a down, but I have the inner strength needed to tame the lion as I begin using the mounting energy to help me in beginning my climb towards the light.

DECK USED:  FOURNIER’S TAROT CATS BY ANA JUAN

#DiscordTarotolicsFeb2021 Challenge Prompt
Question:  What do I need to focus on for self-care for this new moon?

Tarocco Sopraffino Anima AntiquaReading Summary: Focus upon finding a sense of pleasure and accomplishment (Nine of Cups) instead of looking to others to provide validation (Six of Wands Rx). You already have everything you need emotionally (Ten of Cups) so don’t sabotage yourself by pushing too hard right now (Five of Wands).

Take Away: I need to set aside that whole “working your ass off to succeed” mindset and instead spend some time focusing on what makes me happy and makes me feel good.

It’s hard to find those things right now when the depression has me feeling so vulnerable, but it’s better to focus on all the good that I have and the support they offer rather than looking for outside sources for validation that I can receive from those that already make up my emotional support system.

DECK USED: TAROCCO SOPRAFFINO ANIMA ANTIQUA

Daily Self Kindness

I listened to the current audio book that I’ve been enjoying during my packaging today.  This isn’t something I normally do as it slows me down a bit (same with if I listen to audio books while driving). But, I’ve been really enjoying this story so I went ahead and listened to it anyway.  Currently listening to:  The Whispering Room, which is Book 2 of Dean Koontz’s Jane Hawk Series

New Moon in Aquarius – February 2021

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Today 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 rising of altruism, and brought to you by Sharron Basanti of Seeds of Shakti.

Aquarius New Moon - The Uncommon Tarot

1. What visions is my mind awakening to?

Ten of Swords – The pain of what I’m currently going through, the mental illness that I’m struggling with.  The beat down that it is giving me, and the potential to rise from it in the end.  There is a need to ride out the process in order to find that potential, though.  First you must hit the ground, bleed out upon the grass… only then can you then rise from the ashes and start over.

2. How can I be more open to ideas that are outside of the box?

Four of Swords – Ease up on yourself.  It’s okay to need rest and recovery is a part of the process. Do not shame yourself into trying to avoid or outright reject this process. Part of last year was about accepting this and making allowances for rest and recovery.  Don’t backslide into shunning the need for this rest and restoration.

3. What false perceptions do I need to release in order to create space for sacred truths to rise up?

Eight of Wands – Not everything has to be done right this moment. You always push for everything to be done right now. Right away.  You don’t expect this from others, and yet you demand it from yourself.  it’s time to release this expectation and allow yourself the room to breathe through the process of getting things done.

4. In what aspect of my life do I need to be innovative?

The Magician – Don’t allow yourself to sink into feelings of helplessness and powerlessness.  You are a skilled and strong individual, knowledgeable and capable. The depression can cause you to lose track of your awareness concerning these things, but in keeping them in mind you empower yourself to stay strong and keep going.

5. Who do I need to collaborate with in my kindred circle for my health and well-being?

The Empress atop The Hermit Rx – This is about Z and the kindness and nurturing she offers during times when you need her support. Whenever the Empress appears, it often reflects back to the same energy that Z carries upon her and within her, and she is the person that you need to collaborate with now in order to assure that you don’t use alone time activities to retreat into yourself.  By speaking with her about your concerns to do with alone time and not using your alone time in healthy ways, she can be there for you real-time and on-point to make sure that it doesn’t happen and you use that time in healthy ways.

6. Message from my Guides and Ancestors.

Four of Cups – Rest does not turn into stagnancy as long as you make the choice to stay engaged instead of turning away from your feelings and interests.  Rest is healthy, and can help foster your gradual improvement as you begin to find yourself on the road to recovery.  Stagnancy is unhealthy and will hold you back.  They are not the same thing, so make sure you are aware and paying attention to which “wolf you feed” in this matter.

DECK USED:  THE UNCOMMON TAROT