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?

Mystic Masters Tarot, Mystical Creatures Oracle, Runic Odyssey Oracle

Earth – Two of Swords and Foo Dogs – You’re going to have some decisions to make this week concerning your home and finances.  Make sure that you lean heavily into the stability aspect and that you are paying attention to what needs a little extra balance and structure.  Now is not the time to take risks or go off of guesses.  Find the sure path with level ground and save the risk taking and adventures for later on down the line.

Air – Two of Cups, Basilisk atop Harpy – Do not allow carelessness and negativity to pollute your connection and communication with others.  Sometimes your head goes on little tangents or gets a bit too wrapped up in it’s own self and you forget to look outward on how your words are affecting others.  The potential for one of those moments is coming up in the week ahead, so do your best to stay mindful in your connections and communication with others, as well as their reactions.

Water – Justice and Minotaur – What goes up must come down and you’ve been on a bit of an emotional upswing lately, regardless of the somewhat chaotic nature the last week has held. These cards go hand in hand with the Air section of this reading, as you are at risk of sliding into a more negative space and getting lost in your head with that ugly negative self talk that so often can drag you down.  Here’s your warning… the scales are looking for a way to tip off balance. Be aware.  Be alert. Pay attention and do what is needed to stay balanced.

Fire – Five of Cups, Mermaid atop Goblin – Bad feelings are coming and it’s important that you don’t close them off or shut them away. Feel your feelings.  It’s important.  If you close the emotions you’re feeling off it will only  make them worse, giving rise to a “fight” response that will create resentment and negative interactions with yourself and others as a result.  This is not healthy for you or for your ambitions.   It’s not healthy for anyone.  Feel your feelings.  But while you’re doing so, keep your head up and look for the silver lining in the situation.

Waning – Tiwaz (Courage/Justice) – It’s time to slow down.  As indicated in the Earth section earlier in this reading, there are things at play that need a slow and careful approach.  Pause and think rather than simply going with your gut, and when you come to a course of action?  Pause and think some more.

Waxing – Berkano (Fertility/Growth) –  The question in this prompt is specifically “what do I need to focus on moving toward” for self-care in the week ahead, and what I need to focus on is growth.  Personal growth. I have an opportunity to grow and flourish into the newness of how I deal with things in the methods I use to confront this week’s challenges.  I can fall back on old habits… or I can reach for new methods and use this opportunity to grow from them.  I need to focus on that growth.

Take Away –  Slow steady and ultra careful on the home and finances front this week.  There’s some potential for emotional upheaval this week, and miscommunication could very definitely play a part in the mess of it all.  Don’t make any important decisions or changes this week in the home and finances while going through the mess of emotional upheaval.  And don’t close off.  Use this upheaval as a chance to practice your new methods instead of falling back on old habits concerning how you deal with this sort of thing.

DECKS USED:  MYSTIC MASTERS TAROT, MYTHICAL CREATURES ORACLE, RUNIC ODYSSEY ORACLE

Creative Control

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Today’s meditation was sort of circumvented into a nap.  Okay, so there’s no “sort of” about it.  I settled in to meditate and promptly drifted off to sleep instead.  And I slept longer than I’d have liked (big surprise right?) so I haven’t tried to settle in for meditation since, because I wanted to get online and spend some together time.

Bonestone & Earthflesh Tarot - The DevilToday’s draw is The Devil card, which is traditionally a representation of temptations, addictions, and other types of unhealthy attachments that one inflicts upon oneself.

I like this depiction of The Devil with the Medusa hair.  Because, when I think of Medusa?  I think of how strong the temptation would be to look at her, even knowing the consequences… perhaps that temptation would be even stronger because of the consequences involved, because it makes it that much more forbidden.

The Devil stands on all of those that have come before and been unable to resist the temptation of taking a look… just a quick glance.  But in the Clash of the Titans mythos, Perseus finds a way to look at Medusa without suffering the consequences of the curse.

And there is the lesson in temptations, obsessions, and addictions.  Control and creativity.  You don’t have to give up the things that you love, but you do need to find a way to keep them under control and in a place of moderation.  Sometimes, this requires a bit of creative thinking to accomplish, but it’s possible.  Instead of creating a mindset of scarcity and deprivation by trying to “cut out” the things you enjoy that you get carried away with, find a way to moderate them and keep things in control and perspective.

DECK USED:  BONESTONE & EARTHFLESH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What in your life needs started now for it to be ready when you need it?

Zolar's New Astrological Tarot c.1973Reading Summary: Move away (Eight of Cups) from the urges towards impulsivity (Knight of Swords Rx), so that you can be in an advantageous position (Knight of Wands) when plans start to go sideways (Three of Wands).

Take Away: This isn’t so much about the planning itself going sideways as it is about how sometimes the best laid plans still go awry.  When that happens, if I prepare now I can have a “cushion” in place to deal with it and work through the issue more easily.

In order to prepare, though, I need to get a handle on my more impulsive tendencies and set them aside before they get out of hand and become harmful to me in the present as well as my future.

DECK USED:  ZOLAR’S NEW ASTROLOGICAL TAROT c.1973

Morning Bonus Read – Year Ahead Star

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The prompt for this reading came from one of my Discord servers and is as follows:
“Welcome to the other side of the holidays! I sincerely hope you survived them mostly intact. Let’s take a moment this week to take a deep breath and look toward the new year with the following spread.”

Year Ahead Tarot Spread using Stars & Moons Playing Cards by Trendy Spirit

Sunset: Lessons from your previous year

Ace of Clubs – You can only handle so many new projects at once, and sometimes you have to leave a few of them on the back burner in order to focus on what’s more important.

I had a lot of projects I wanted to explore and get to last year that I didn’t manage to get to.  The wood burning, some new pendant designs, and a few other things were all planned to be worked on over the spring and summer.  Instead, I found my hands full to the brim with self care… and everything else had to be set aside.  I had to learn how to be okay with that and let go of the stress that tried to rise up in setting those things aside for later.

Horizon: What you can expect in the next year.

Ace of Spades – Lots of new and potentially successful ideas.

I need to remember to write these down because otherwise I will begin to feel overwhelmed by how many of them I want to pursue and the worry that I will forget about them before I get the opportunity to explore them.

Obstacle: A challenge you’ll face this year.

Jack of Spades – Reevaluation of and a re-learning of how you deal with your ambitions and ideas.

There’s only so much time in each day, and only so many days in each week. At one time I used to spend the majority of my energy pursuing as many projects and ideas as possible, constantly on the run and pushing for more.  And to be fair, it’s possible to obtain a lot of knowledge through this process… it can also wear you down until you’re nothing but a pencil nub with no eraser.  It’s time to continue the journey of learning a better way.

Strength: How to harness your inner power.

Five of Diamonds – Scarcity issues.  That feather in the imagery of the card is very fitting with this theme, as it so often feels like security and stability are tenuous things, and like one small shift, one slight breeze, will whisk all that has been gained away.

Scarcity issues are something I deal with a lot, and when the rise up into the forefront, I become a working demon.  I duck my head and find inner reserves that one wouldn’t believe exist, and plow forward until I resolve that issue.  This is not something sustainable all the time, but it is something I can use during times with extra inner strength is needed.

 Advice: Lessons you learned last year.

Nine of Clubs – You can only do so much. This is a repeat of the sunset position in that in the Nine of Clubs imagery we see a universe hanging by delicate tendrils from a controlling hand above it.  It is a reminder of how much you can control, and how much you can take on.   That “how much” does not include “everything.

I learned how important it is to choose my battles, my projects, and my responsibilities wisely.  I can’t take on the world, or even everything that I’d like to take on.  So it’s important to make good choices, and leave room for my own self care.  Everything falls apart if you overwhelm myself with too much and don’t give myself the self care that is needed.

Navigation: Guidance for the year ahead.

Eight of Hearts atop Eight of Clubs –  When something isn’t working for you, don’t stick around and hope that it will get better.  Get your ass out of there and find something better that will work instead.  No hesitation.  No doubts.  Just do it.

Sometimes, when something isn’t working for me, I do hesitate.  Either because I hope it will come around and change, or through some of the self-destructive urges that I’ve battled with all my life that can at times turn into flirting with self-defeating behavior (among other things).  The cards here are saying that a better tact in the year ahead is to simply move on and find something that works better right away.  Don’t linger or try to wait it out.

Clarity: Your personal theme for the year.

Jack of Clubs – You can do it! There is an unlimited amount of potential before you.  All you need to do is choose a direction to explore… and start exploring.

DECK USED:  STARS & MOONS PLAYING CARDS BY TRENDY SPIRIT

Spreading the Wealth

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IMG_8584Today’s meditation was just under twelve minutes long and was a guided meditation from the Calm app with interval timer for my piriformis and forearm stretches.  Yes, I started back up with the extra forearm flexor stretches, as giving it a break seems to have instead of letting it rest… given it the opportunity to tighten up more.

The topic of today’s meditation is about the importance of acknowledging and accepting that there is more in the world that we can see and understand.  It’s like that Shakespeare Hamlet quote “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.”

I don’t necessarily think secular people are “wrong” or that their view isn’t just as valid as anyone else’s, but I feel that, like everyone in the world, we need to understand that there’s more out there than we can possibly hope to comprehend, whether it is a part of our personal dogma or not.

Heaven & Earth Tarot - Six of PentaclesToday’s draw is the Six of Pentacles, which is traditionally a representation of generosity, and the give and take of charity.  This representation is ruled by balance (thus the scales often depicted on the Six of Pentacles), and is both about the giving of those more fortunate, and the acceptance of that generosity by those less fortunate.

What really stands out to me in this card today isn’t in the imagery (which is stunning, as always, in this deck).  It’s in the words upon the scroll at the bottom.   The words “Material Success” are used as a prompt for the card, and I feel that this is… short sighted.  It encourages one to focus on only one side of that balance that this card’s message is truly about.

“Spread the Wealth” is definitely the message that I get from this card today, through the image that is then strongly reinforced by the words at the bottom.

I think sometimes we all forget how fortunate we are.  I know that I do sometimes.  But even at my worst, living in a car and struggling on the streets, I still had things to be grateful for, and ways that I was able to reach out and help others less fortunate than myself.  That outreach is important… and there are many ways to pay forward your good fortune than through monetary means.

DECK USED:  HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT

LionHart’s Elements Tarot Challenge Prompt
Question: What should I know or keep in mind as I go after my dreams and goals?

Earth Bones Tarot 2nd Edition

 Reading Summary:  You have to rest now and then (Four of Crystals), no matter how enthusiastic you are feeling to explore new things (Page of Wicks) or you will burn yourself out and open yourself up to the slippery slope of depression (Three of Crystals).

Take Away:  Dreams and goals are meant to be pursued and explored, but it’s important to remember to take breaks and rest now and then along the way.  The pace you set is your own, and there’s no deadline to be had.  Don’t risk your emotional stability and well-being by pushing too hard and not giving yourself the rest you need.  That rest is extremely important to keep everything in balance.

DECK USED:  EARTH BONES TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do you actually deserve? (Built off yesterday’s cards)

Tarot of the Divine MasculineReading Summary:  You deserve to leave behind the negative lessons  of the past (Six of Cups Rx) and rule your roost with strength and confidence (The Emperor) with Gideon there at your side to support (King of Cups).

Take Away: Strength and Happiness.  This is about finding stability and confidence in myself instead of allowing my past to creep in and whisper in my ear those negative inner naratives that always try to tear me down.  I deserve to live a life without those influences weakening my foundation.  And I deserve Gideon there beside me, supporting me along the way, each and every day as I move forward into the future.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE DIVINE MASCULINE

Battening Down the Hatches

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IMG_8568Today’s meditation was just over thirteen minutes long and was a guided meditation with interval timer for my piriformis stretching. 

The topic of today’s meditation was about gratitude and love, and how getting in touch with those emotions can create a sense of peace and calm when one is stuck in moments of chaotic thought or dealing with sensory overwhelm.

This is an interesting approach, as usually when I am feeling chaotic and overwhelmed, I pause to take a deep breath, or even a moment’s calm meditation… but I’ve never thought of really bringing in gratitude into the practice.  This is definitely something I’m going to need to try the next time I need to calm down from chaotic moments.

Bonestone & Earthflesh Tarot - Nine of WandsToday’s draw is the Nine of Wands, which is traditionally a representation of “standing guard” over what is important to you, setting strong boundaries, and having the courage and resilience to stand strong when one is being tested.

I think that I’m going to need to read the book for this deck in order to help me reconcile some of the artwork in the deck with the specific tarot cards that the imagery is placed on. I struggled a bit with the Ace of Cups… and this one, as well. I think that it will help to at least skim through the book in order to get a better feel of where the artist is going in connecting artwork to the cards.

What stands out to me the strongest in this card today, though, does actually fit with the traditional meaning of the Nine of Wands.  It is in the expression on the features of the figure among the leaves.  It’s an expression of determination that says “I will not stand down, and I will not falter”.

I guess that it is because he is “of the green” that I’m thrown off by the imagery here in contrast to the traditional meaning.  Which is fine, and usually doesn’t bother me but for some reason, in this deck, I feel the need for them to connect and make sense.

The message in today’s card is to remember what you’re “fighting for”.  What is it that’s important to you?  Are you taking the precautions and steps necessary to keep those things and people safe?  It’s time to examine what you’re doing in this area and ensure everything is where it needs to be.  (It’s also a reminder to renew my Nest subscription.)

DECK USED:  BONESTONE & EARTHFLESH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do you feel you deserve?

5 Cent Tarot 2nd EditionReading Summary: *Wincing as the cards go all ugly as they echo the negative inner narrative in his head.*

The more “in charge” I strive to be (The Emperor), the more anxiety and worry (Nine of Needles) I deserve to have clouding my judgement (Ace of Needles Rx) and creating confusion which keeps me frozen in indecision (Two of Needles Rx).

Take Away: Failure. Specifically, failure bred through my own ineptitude. 

I knew that in doing this reading there was a risk my negative inner voice would be given a loud speaker, but… damn.  I wasn’t really expecting it to be quite so ugly. Not that I’m not aware how ugly it can be but, I feel… exposed.

DECK USED:  5 CENT TAROT 2ND EDITION

Small Things Matter

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IMG_8547Today’s meditation was just over eleven minutes long and was another of the guided meditations with interval timer for my piriformis stretches. I’m giving my forearms a couple of days break from the stretching in the hopes it will help me in getting the muscles to release a bit with more massaging and hot/cold treatments instead.

The topic of today’s guided meditation was about that beat of a pause that being more mindful can give you in which to make good decisions.  It’s that moment of “thinking before you speak” or making a smart decision rather than an instant reaction.

People always think that this slight pause is “too long” in situations where it’s needed most, but I’ve found that that moment… especially in the middle of chaos or a moment of surprise, is when it’s most essential.

Heaven & Earth Tarot - The StarToday’s draw is the Star card, which is traditionally a representation of the inter-connectivity of the physical world and spirituality, as well as themes that have to do with hope, optimism, and success.

There isn’t any one single thing that stands out to me the strongest in this card, but rather it is an interplay of different elements from the water the figure is knee deep within to the crystals on the shore, the crane in the reeds, and the fiery cool glow of the stars above.

I think this card is breathtaking.  But then, I think that most of the cards in this deck are breathtaking.

What I see here is how everything is interconnected.  Everything feeds off each other and supports each other. Everything is connected in one way or another, and so those little things you do for self care?  They count, because they connect into the whole.  It is like the difference in my resting heart rate when I do my meditation regularly compared to when I don’t.   Ten minutes a day doing a self care thing that’s as simple as lying down and doing some breathing exercises while I focus inward… and my resting heart rate improves significantly… all day, every day.

The message in today’s card is that the small things matter. Self care, generosity to others, gratitude…. all of these things don’t need to be done in big showy actions or endeavors.  The small things are just as important, if not more so.  Do the small things and don’t worry so much about the big ones.

DECK USED:  HEAVEN & EARTH TAROT

#DiscordTarotolicJan2021 Challenge Prompt
Philosophical Question: Is it always better to have more choices?

Ink Witch TarotReading Summary: Good things are given the room to begin (Ace of Cups) when you’re willing to let go of where you’re at and leave behind what isn’t working (Six of Swords), and build something new out of the ashes (The Tower).

Take Away: Yes, it’s always better to have more choices. But… only if you’re willing to be smart about how you make your choices, and accept that sometimes the best choice may involve deconstructing everything and starting over.

In my experience and observation, that is where most people get tripped up when they have what they feel are “too many choices” before them.  They know that the best and healthiest choice is the one that’s the most scary, so they try to choose something else instead, just to avoid that pain, fear, discomfort, or inconvenience that making the truly healthy choice would mean going through.  I am also guilty of this.

DECK USED:  INK WITCH TAROT