Whispering Spirits Tarot

Take Your Medicine

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IMG_3317Today’s meditation was just over fifteen minutes long and focused upon living in the present moment.  The past is gone to the unsubstantiality of memory, and the future has yet to become…. so the point of the meditation’s focus was that the present moment is all that we really have that is solid and real and that we can hold onto.

It is a reminder to stay present and not get carried away by what was or what could be, but to enjoy what you have in the now.    Honestly?  This was a good reminder for me, and I think would be a good reminder for a lot of people during this time.

How many have felt over worked to the point they dreamed of having some time off?  How many have felt so overwhelmed by social obligations that they just want to spend some time at home chilling and alone?  And yet, here it is.  Here we all have that chance and so many feel they can’t handle it and fuss and fight under the restrictions of some self-isolation.    Maybe this is an opportunity to relax and recover and restore ourselves that we will regret not taking once life is returning to the hectic juggling of responsibilities we’ll all eventually have to return to.

Queen of Wands - Hush TarotToday’s draw is the Queen of Wands (honestly? The wands in this deck remind me far more of spears than wands) which is a representation of a receptive alpha energy, personality, or person in the area of one’s passions, drive, ambitions, and (in my case) creative spark. This often translates into themes that have to do with courage, ownership of one’s passions, confidence, and determination in the areas of the wand suit, including fostering the growth of those themes in others.

What stands out to me in this card today, though, is a variety of aspects including the submerged bird being held beneath the water by the woman that sits on it, and the little star being lowered into the bird’s mouth.  This speaks to me of that whole “I hurt you because I love you” mentality.  You know, like forcing a child to take their meds even if they fight and scream about it.

Today’s message is about doing my self care even when I’m not enthused about it.  I need to take care of myself as I would someone else that I love, and that means “taking my medicine” even when I don’t want to.  My efforts for self-care are a type of medicine and I need to make it happen even when I feel unmotivated towards doing those things.  Every time I am in the moment of doing them or have finished one of them, I’m always pleasantly surprised that I liked it more than I thought I would or that it was far easier than I thought it would be.  My mind blows up what needs done until it’s some huge task when really, they aren’t that huge at all… they’re just blown out of proportion.   So stop avoiding.  Stop procrastinating.  It’s time to start doing my self-care tasks whether I’m up for it or not.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: What shadows are being illuminated at this time?

Tarot of the Golden Wheel

Intuitive Read:  Just how much I need myself some alone time.

Take Away:  So much time with others has made it clear just how much I need alone time now and then. Fortunately I am getting some in the morning when I’m going to the farm to work, and my work at the farm itself is also quite solitary most of the time.  It’s not the amount of alone time that I’m used to, but it definitely helps.   L and Z are also being very respectful of my need for time to do my yoga/physio and meditation and give me space for those moments as well.   That said?  All the social contact is a bit exhausting and I’m longing for that more extensive alone time I’m accustomed to.

DECK USED:  TAROT OF THE GOLDEN WHEEL

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #2
What voice do I need to bring forward within myself to combat my self abuse?

Whispering Spirits Tarot

Reading Summary:  The butterfly in the first two cards speaks about gentle change and the synchronicity of colors and grass in contrast to the first card speaks of a transition from the theme of the first card through the second card and into the third card.

Take Away:  It’s time to move away from feeling all tense and defensive and wildly protective of those things I’ve worked so hard for but cannot actually control the outcome of right now.   Lean into my inner strengths as well and use them to prepare for what’s to come rather than trying to hold onto control that has already slipped from my grasp.   This isn’t an abrupt change but more of a gentle transition that involves shifting how I see things and think about them. 

DECK USED:  WHISPERING SPIRITS TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: Can you trust not to look at the “little white book”?

Green Witch Tarot

Reading Summary: During times of stress and anxiety (Nine of Athames), this is when the temptation to look at books is most strong.  But,  I am more likely to depend on my foundational education (Queen of Athames) and trust in my own capabilities (The World Tree) over the temptation of looking in a book (The Sidhe).

Take Away:  I already knew the answer to this but decided to see what the cards had to say anyway.  The response from the cards is spot on.  I don’t really use the little white books anymore.  Sometimes I will read them  when a deck first comes into my collection just to see if there is a different perspective, neat stories, or artist’s input to consider.   But when it comes to actually interpreting what the cards have to say in a reading, my first go-to is intuitive interpretation off imagery, and my second is my foundational knowledge about the cards and their meanings.

That said?  I do have a hard time coming up with words now and then… and in those times an online thesaurus is usually my friend, because if I can find a word close in meaning to the word I want, a thesaurus can then get me there when my mind is drawing a blank or the word is on the “tip of my tongue” but refuses to fully surface from my brain.

DECK USED:  GREEN WITCH TAROT

 

Practicing Patience

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IMG_3202Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long… and I did it twice.   It started out with a full body scan, which is one of my favorite ways to meditate, and then settled on focusing on the breath for the majority of the time.

The message of the guided meditation, though, was one of self care.  It was about being kind to yourself and not allowing that inner critic free reign to tear yourself down.  That can be extremely tempting and easy to fall into during times of stress like the stress that we are all under around the world at the moment.  The meditation encouraged making sure you are keeping a focus on being kind to yourself, and not tearing into yourself for those things that are out of your control.

Eight of Cups - Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is the Eight of Cups, which is traditionally a representation of retreat and “stepping away” emotionally from a person or situation.

Once again, though, this deck speaks to me through its imagery rather than through any traditional interpretation, because what really stands out to me in this card is the nearly fully submerged person in the water, and the held up finger. In the book it speaks of that hand being an indication of the choice to either emerge from the water or not.   But what it speaks to me today is about waiting and patience.

It’s about the pause.  Right now in my area everyone and everything is in a sort of pause.  The message in today’s card is a reminder to wait.  Just wait. Gather what you need to survive (as referenced by the dishes  along the shore of the pond) and just wait.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: How can I release self-doubt in my abilities?

Whispering Spirits Tarot

Reading Summary: Accept that those abilities are not a fluke (Five of Swords) and leave room for compassionate strength (King of Cups) as I look for ways to move forward both now… and later (Two of Wands).

Take Away:  With everything at a forced standstill right now, there’s a lot of room for self-doubts to creep in and muddle up the mind and emotions.  To keep that from happening it’s important that I keep in mind that the skills and abilities that I have are not a fluke.  They aren’t something that are going to disappear, but are hard earned and honed over time.  Being kind to myself and appreciating my strengths as strengths is important to keeping my self doubts under control,  as is making plans so that I don’t fall into habits of morose pessimism and other negative thinking that can begin to fester when I am left rudderless.

DECK USED:  WHISPERING SPIRITS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What do I need to take more pride in?

Enchanted Tarot Mini Version

Reading Summary: My ability to provide guidance and direction (Three of Wands) out of the shadows and into the light (Eight of Swords) for myself and others  through my skills and abilities (Three of Pentacles).

Take Away:  This seems to be the theme of my personal readings today.  That is, that I have the skills and abilities to lead by example, and to provide both myself and others with the sense of hope and direction needed to keep the fog of depression and directionless discouragement from taking hold.

DECK USED:  ENCHANTED TAROT MINI VERSION

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How does my intuition speak to me?

Arcana Iris Sacra Tarot

Reading Summary:  Loudly (Dragon in the Seven of Chalices) and often (Knight of Wands), and in very mysterious ways that are difficult to grasp (Moon).

Oddly, this one took me a minute.  I think it is the mix between the intuitive hits and the traditional meanings in the cards here that gave me pause.   It’s almost like… a different dialect of the language I am used to reading.  New… different, and yet familiar enough to work it out.

Take Away: I was actually expecting something that described the “how” as in how I experience my intuition’s voice.  Instead, the message here is that the “how” is less about methods and more about an overall interpretation of “how”.

That is to say that how my intuition speaks to me is with a constant stream of input that is quite loud and always there, always pushing and driving and directing the way forward.  Those mysterious ways indicated by the Moon card speaking of the fact that that sometimes my “intuition” may be more than just intuition.  I’ve recently been considering that my spirit guides have been using the language/experience of my intuition in order to communicate with me as well.

DECK USED:  ARCANA IRIS SACRA TAROT

Dropping the Dead Weight

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was again delayed until bed time.  This is not because of any particular interruption, so much as the fact that I ended up dozing off after visiting Simon’s live Cuppa, Catch Up & Cards this morning over on YouTube.

After waking up I decided I’d rather hop online and spend time together than “waste” time meditating and (possibly) falling back asleep a second time.   Yes, I know that meditation is not wasting time, but it sure feels like it when what I really want is to spend some time with you.

Circle of Life TarotToday’s draw is the Eight of Wands, which is most commonly a card that is interpreted as representing speed in movement and fast paced changes, and often works as an accelerator on surrounding cards when you are reading with multiple cards.

I… definitely don’t see this in the imagery of this card.  Not that I don’t see movement in the figure’s stance or that she doesn’t seem to be walking off into the sunset, but what stands out to me today has more to do with what she appears to be holding in her grip.

She appears to be carrying a head… and a weapon as well.   What I see here is that sometimes you have to walk away, not from something that you are perhaps emotionally invested in (as the Eight of Cups often represents), but away from things that you have invested time and effort and your inner spark into.   Sometimes it’s better to cut and run rather than allowing the dead weight (the rest of the body left behind) to drag you down.

I’m not sure where exactly this applies to me today, but it is excellent advice, and something I will be sure to be keeping in mind.

DECK USED:  CIRCLE OF LIFE TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: What would I benefit from releasing as this lunar cycle comes to a close?

Eight Coins Tarot

Reading Summary: Lack of growth (Seven of Pentacles Rx). Catastrophizing (The Tower). Hands tied (Ten of Swords).  (And…. there’s the sharp and distinct tone I’m used to getting from the Eight Coins deck.  I missed you, my old sharp-tongued friend.)

Take Away:  I’ve been really stressing out over the lack of growth factor that the issues I’ve been going through has potentially had on my business.  This includes struggling with a sense of helplessness.  As this moon’s energy decreases and the lunar cycle comes to a close, it’s time to start releasing these worries and fears, and instead start looking forward again.

DECK USED:  EIGHT COINS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: Do Spread #2 Am I going to get to see Ms B again before the fall?

Whispering Spirits Tarot

Reading Summary: One creature isn’t moving very fast (King of Coins), and the other ones looking away (Seven of Coins) from the possibility of a gathering (Three of Cups).  The color variations progress on the ground from spring (Card 1) to summer (card 2) to early fall (Card 3).

Take Away:  It could happen near the end of summer (color of the sky in the Three of Cups combined with the more autumn shade of the ground), but it’ll be a struggle to get to a point where I can take off for a few days and go visit.  I need to keep my eyes on that slowly growing prize of my goals rather than the social aspects of visiting.  It’s  possible that a visit over this time period could very well be at the detriment of my goals. 

DECK USED:  WHISPERING SPIRITS TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: How can I safely increase my intuitive abilities?

Fenestra Tarot

Reading Summary:  To do so at this time will involve becoming overwhelmed (Seven of Cups) and risking shutting down (High Priestess… she landed Rx but I turned her upright for the picture) as that overwhelm spreads into other aspects of my life (Five of Swords).

Take Away:  Right, so…. the cards say now is not the time and outline the consequences of trying to push it right now. 

DECK USED:  FENESTRA TAROT

Seedlings and Sparks

/ Twist the Leaf / 1 Comment

Today’s meditation was just over ten minutes long, and a guided meditation on gratitude, and expressing that gratitude through not just appreciation but the direction of positive energy toward those things you are grateful for.

That includes directing positive energy and thought toward yourself.  Toward others.  As well as to the world at large.  Each of these aspects of life have things about them to be grateful for, and today’s meditation included the process of first grounding and centering, and then directing that energy to each of those three aspects of life.

Ace of Wands - Hush TarotToday’s draw is the Ace of Wands which is traditionally a representation of potential and new opportunities in the area of one’s ambitions, drive, and passionate interests.

What I see in today’s card is the needle in the bird’s beak, and the tendril of hair threaded through it.  Sometimes new projects and passions take a bit of effort and sacrifice.  The girl offers her hair to the bird so that the bird can build its nest.  The needle sparkles and shins in the sunlight, sparking interest as a worker climbs the girl’s cheek representing work to be done.

This Ace of Wands speaks to me of those tenuous first moments of inspiration, when things are not yet in motion, but there’s that moment of breath… a beat of the heart, where you can -feel- how right it is… how good it will be.   It’s an encouragement to go after those little sparks of interest an allow them to carry you away… the work will be worth it.

DECK USED:  HUSH TAROT

#TarotForGrowthMarch Challenge Prompt
Question: Energy surrounding the impending shift into spring.

Whispering Spirits Tarot

Reading Summary: Take back what’s yours (Seven of Wands) and plow right through (The Chariot) times of uncertainty (The Moon).

Take Away:  The cards indicate something that I also read in my Self-Care Saturday spread this week.  That is, that there is a surfacing coming and a re-claiming of self that will carry forward beyond this week and into the spring, pulling me out of the fog of uncertainty that I’ve been struggling with if I’m willing to be proactive in “riding the wave” to shore.

DECK USED:  WHISPERING SPIRITS TAROT

#DiscordTarotholicsMar2020 Challenge Prompt
Question: What good thing is ready to come into bloom in my life with the arrival of spring?

Les Métamorphoses du Jour Tarot

Reading Summary:  If I can give myself the nurturing care that I’m currently in need of (The Empress), and the room necessary to allow for emotional growth to take root (Ace of Cups), I will find that with the spring I will find a new sense of stability and camaraderie among those that I share interests and passions with (Four of Wands).

Take Away:  The spring is going to allow me to pull ahead of this fog I’ve been feeling over the past few months, but only if I allow it to happen. It will be important to not allow my grip to be too tight and controlling, either on on my emotions or by using cruelty to self to prod myself forward.

DECK USED:  LES METAMORPHOSES DU JOUR TAROT

#ConnectWithYourDeckChallenge by E Roebuck-Jones
Question: What does intuition mean for me?

Enchanted Tarot Mini Deck

Reading Summary: The addictive (Devil) path forward (Two of Wands) to future interests (Princess of Wands over the Ten of Wands).

Take Away:  My interests always have an element of burden to them, as I have a habit of overwhelming myself with the activities and things that I love.   Intuition represents to me a path to those interests, a path I enjoy bounding down again and again, until said interests become the burden that they always had the potential to be.

To be clear… intuition is the path.  It is not the interests it leads me to but the path that takes me there.  What I do with those interests that turns them into a burden lies upon the “shoulders” of habit and the mind.

DECK USED:  ENCHANTED TAROT MINI DECK