Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Demeter - Need for sustenance

Yesterday I have bought the Foolsdog app of the Darkgoddess tarot. The deck is momentarily out of print but to be honest it was a bit too expensive for  me anyway, especially combined with the shipping costs to the Netherlands. I also was  a bit hesitative if I could read with the deck since it contains so many goddesses, I have never heard of. Working with the app is a perfect way to dive into the realm of the Dark Goddess since it also comes with a great guidebook which tells the myth of each goddess and how this myth is related to the interpretation of her card.
This deck couldn’t have come at a better time for me since I am working with the aspect of the dark goddess a lot lately. It feels like she is encouraging me to really look at myself  and to strip myself down to the bare bones of who I am and to figure out what I want to hold on too and what to let go.
For now I will use it mostly for daily draws and the first card I got is Five of Earth - Demeter - Give no part of yourself to what does not sustain you.
Demeter is the Olympian goddess of agriculture and grain, the sustainer of mankind. She is the goddess of the fertile earth. We all know how deeply she grieved when her daughter was in the underworld and how the earth withered away until Persephone was allowed to return to her mother during the light half of the year.
Her message is to take care of yourself during your personal dark season. Don’t despair because after each Winter, Spring will always return. My previous post was about the Five of Stones (Earth) too but this version highlights how to nurture yourself in times like this.
During this Holiday season it is so easy to say yes to everything you think you are supposed to do. Saying “No” is not impolite or self centered. It can be a wonderful act of kindness and compassion  for  yourself. These dark days for Christmas often bring about a need for reflection for many of us. If so, make room for quiet time, for walks, journaling etc. Just do the things which bring you joy and fulfillment, besides buying busy and taking care of things all day.

Wishing you a smooth and joyful run-up to Christmas!
Hugs  

13 comments:

  1. What a great card to draw for this time of year. It's so easy to overspend, overdo and over-volunteer during the holiday, but as Lorenzi-Prince suggests, its a good idea to check one's motives and expectations with a big dose of reality. (For instance, I may be overdoing because I want to be liked and accepted.) It truly is a way to deplete yourself all the while thinking just the opposite! Love this deck.:)

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    1. Checking in with ourselves is so often forgotten when we rush from one thing to another. Slowing down (not quite voluntarily:)) has help me a lot
      Yes I am already in love with this deck too! <3

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  2. I like the card's connection to Demeter. During these shorten days of daylight we can become full of despair, but we do have the promise of Persephone's return. Just another week and the Wheel begins the slow turn towards Spring and her return.

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    1. I love this myth so much not only because of the return of Persephone which is the beginning of Spring but also because of her becoming a powerful Queen of the Underworld

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  3. I read a quote by Tony Blair the other day that said, "The art of leadership is saying no, not saying yes. It is very easy to say yes." This can easily apply to our own self-determination. The pressure to make others happy, or to comply with an expectation, often outweighs our attention to self-care. I'm glad that you have this way of exploring the Dark Goddess deck, it offers such rich depth <3

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    1. During the Holidays this pressure is often felt even stronger than usual.
      I love this opportunity to get to know the deck and who knows maybe it will be republished one day

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  4. I bought three of FoolsDog apps, thinking it would be a real help as my eyesight goes more wonky, but I can't seem to figure out how to get the image to my post.

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    1. I make a screen shot on my tablet and I mail that picture to myself. Then I delete the black background around the card in a picture editing program on my laptop and that's about it :) Good luck

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  5. I learned about Demeter and Persephone back in school but wasn't applying their lesson to our dark nights of the soul. Thank you for this timely message. - beckibeetle ����

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    1. Hi Beckibeetle! Thanks for stopping by. I am glad this post resonated with you This myth has indeed a lot of layers :)

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  6. Such a beautiful, wise post! Good luck with saying no, and with nurturing yourself in these hectic festive days :)

    For me, I notice how I also need to keep my thoughts calm - giving over to worry and hectic in itself drains me. And sometimes, just thinking about something negative, even in the sense of releasing it, still is a reminder of that thing. So, I am just focusing on healing and creatitivity, rather on what I need to let go of :)

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    1. Redirecting your thoughts and keeping busy with your hand are both perfect ways to tackle anxiety. I hope you will be able to keep a certain balance my dear friend.
      Hugs

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    2. Thank you, dear Ellen, I wish you the same :)

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