Thursday, June 29, 2017

Eight of Arrows – Keep Going

Today’s card is the Eight of Arrows (aka the Eight of Swords) from the Wildwood Tarot.  We see a young woman struggling on her journey. Eight broken arrows are lying in the snow. They are of no use to her anymore.  Although her path is challenging, cold and lonely, she keeps going and she doesn’t give up. Her staff and her lantern are symbols of hope and determination. I prefer this depiction over the Rider-Waite version where the woman is blindfolded and not able to leave the imprisonment of her own thoughts.
No, this young woman is painfully aware of the brokenness of her arrows and how she has to rephrase her view of life, her feelings and ideas, her story. Often this is a lonely road to travel. Of course, we can ask for advice but the actual task, the decision to move forward,  is ours. This is, in my opinion, an act of great courage. 

This week we had a family get together to celebrate our wedding anniversary. This day is always filled with many contra dictionary feelings which leave me a bit shattered and down. Outdated expectations and missed opportunities are almost certain to come up on days like this. But although I am not feeling at my best. I do know it is best for me to keep going and to keep busy.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

New moon in June

For this new moon I have pulled a major from my just arrived Mother Peace Tarot as to what energy I should embrace during the next cycle of the moon. The two previous lunations I also drew a Major card and I found that the multilayered aspect of these cards made it so much more interesting to work with them for the duration of one month. So for this month I cut the deck and flipped through the cards until the first Major came up. And it was The Lovers.
Notice how the two lovers meet each other in the pink middle of the card. They can walk together under a bower of roses towards the setting sun.
Personally for me, The Lovers is not so much about romantic love but more about how to unite my masculine and feminine aspects, about how to become a whole person and last but not least about how to woo myself.  In my last post I have written about what a bit of makeup can do for your self-worth but now it seems my brand new feminine-oriented deck is taking it up a notch. It is as if She is using this small concession to pampering myself as a starting point to some major changes in my self-care and self-love practice. I think July is a perfect month to start pampering myself more regularly. 
(I am thinking strawberries, ice cream, sunshine, flowers etc) Yes, and not because I have to but because I want to be with myself. I will consciously choose to enjoy these moments as a loving caress for my soul.
Who knows, maybe at the end of this moon cycle, Me Myself and I will be going steady
J

Friday, June 23, 2017

Big Bold Vision with a touch of makeup

Sacred Rebels Oracle 15 Big Bold Vision
Today’s card is “Big Bold Vision” from the Sacred Rebels Oracle. This card encourages us to dream big; to not hold back when you are visualizing the most amazing things for yourself. I mean look at all the winged creatures in this card; they fill her mind with the most wonderful ideas and fantasies. For most of us this hard because while growing up we were taught to have only responsible dreams and goals and leave our capacity to dream big and limitless behind with our dolls and crayons.  I mean who needs a mother of two, who dreams of being an explorer, an artist, a farmer or who secretly even dreamed of becoming a nun.  All those dreams are still hidden somewhere and this card prompts me to revisit them if only for old times’ sake and perhaps to add some new ones:
Today I will think about what I want out of life when anything is possible.

Another thing which stands out for me in this card is the amount of effort and self-love it must have taken her to look like this. She definitely knows how to dress to impress.  I got the distinct feeling she has taken all this time to make herself look this beautiful for anyone but herself. Because she is absolutely worth it to pamper herself and to look as gorgeous as she can be.
I don’t treat myself very kindly in this area. Often I tell myself I don’t have the time but it is more that I don’t see the point in doing it only for myself when I am cooked up at home all day. So for today, I took the effort to put on some lipstick and mascara; just for myself because I wanted to. And it feels good. It is such a minor thing but with a unexcited major effect

I believe all women are pretty without makeup and can be pretty powerful with the right makeup” Bobbi Brown

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Relax the hold of darkness and be at cause

Sacred Rebels Oracle 26 Relax the hold of darkness and be at cause
My card for today is “Relax the hold of darkness and be at cause”  from the Sacred Rebels Oracle. We see a skyclad lady kneeling down on a huge tree stump. The forest is dark. She is all alone but she is completely convinced that this is the place she has to be because in her heart she knew to come here and wait. And while waiting she relaxes the darkness within her. Immediately the created vacuum wanted to be filled and a sparkling light surrounded her, lifting her up, illuminating every part of her being: body spirit and soul.  Moving from Fear to Love in a split second is in my belief a magical experience.
So what is “relaxing the darkness” and what does “darkness” mean in this context? In my opinion, darkness here stands for fear-based thinking which can result in doubt, procrastination, self-numbing, excessive worrying, overthinking etc: everything which keeps you from engaging with life and trusting Love.  The card is asking us to relax the hold this darkness has over us. Note: we are not asked to let go of it entirely, because the fear of not being able to, would be exactly what this darkness would like us to think. No, we are asked to relax and to breath and gradually we will open up,  ready to receive the energy we need to focus on what it is we really want and what is that would make us feel truly alive.

So for today I will relax my darkness and create that blissful emptiness, ready to be filled with loving and intuitive guidance. 

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Raidho and The Hanged Man – The journey within

My rune for today is Raidho (wheel), the rune of traveling and movement. The question I like to ask this rune is: "Where do I go from here?" and I pulled The Hanged Man. 
Raidho The Hanged Man Original Rider Waite tarot the Wild Unknown Tarot The Vision Quest Tarot
So physically I am going nowhere but that doesn’t mean I am not going on a journey. The Hanged Man tells us it is time to take a pause and reflect on what we need to hold on to and nurture and what we need to let go off. What is bringing deep fulfillment and is contributing to our purpose in life? What is helping us to step into our authentic power?  How can we respond to life with Love instead of reacting in fear? So many questions, so many things to ponder about. To find the answer to all of this we only need to quiet down and listen. This can be done during meditation, or while taking a walk or just sitting in our garden and let the beauty of nature sink in.
The Hanged Man of the Rider Waite Tarot shows us the effect of this inner journey. Just look at the halo around the man’s head. In the Wild Unknown Tarot we see how  by hanging upside down the bat keeps his head in the light too and in the Vision Quest Tarot the Hanged man is replaced by a Native American who is indeed going on a Vision Quest, an inner journey of self-discovery and spiritual growth

All the cards, however, show in their own special way that what is unconscious and hidden deep within needs to be brought into the light. Not to get rid of it but to truly own it and transform it from something we fear into something we are able to love. 

Tuesday, June 13, 2017

Dreamer Queen – beyond knowledge…..

Tarot of the Sidhe Dreamer Queen
Today’s card is Dreamer Queen, aka Queen of Swords, from the Tarot of Sidhe. The queen is sitting in a green field on a stack of books on the top of a mountain. This mountain is so high that the queen is seated above the clouds.  The knowledge she gains and judgment she provides won’t be clouded by any of her personal issues. The Sun is shining brightly to emphasize her bright mind and clear insights.
But the knowledge we find in books can only bring us so far. There always comes a time when we have to close the books and digest everything we have learned to make it our own.  The Queen in this depiction is conferring with a little bird which could represent her intuition since all the Queens of the deck are highly gifted with this trait, even our more distant and reserved Dreamer Queen. Look how focused she is on the soft tune the little birdie is singing to her. And gradually the knowledge she has found in her books will be integrated with what she already knew and spiced up by her profound wisdom.

“Knowledge without  wisdom is a load of books on the back of an ass” (Japanese proverb)

Monday, June 12, 2017

Maker King – The gift of Skill

Tarot of the Sidhe Maker King
Today’s Card is Maker King, aka King of Pentacles, from the Tarot of the Sidhe. In this card we see a male member of the Sidhe, bare-chested, standing behind his anvil. He is admiring his latest achievement: a golden crown, still hot from the blazing fires of his forge. What  I love about this king is that it is crystal clear he has earned this noble position not by birth or election but merely by mastering his skills. This is the kind of king I would like to get advice and guidance from. He has experienced everything his people have been going through or are still going through. Their ups and downs, their accomplishment and failures. He is a king of the people and for the people.
I wonder how the world would look like if all our leaders were a bit more like the Maker King. Perhaps we should make a kind of rule that every leader should live amongst his people (incognito) for at least year. Who knows what difference that would make. Maybe they would have more compassion and empathy for the people they are about to rule….?

“All he has he makes his own,
The carpenter of his own throne,
The smith who forges his own crown
And earns his status and renown. “

Thursday, June 8, 2017

Defeating The Devil with the Ace of Pentacles

Original Rider Waite Tarot The Devil Ace of Pentacles
Today’s card is The Devil from the Original Rider Waite Tarot. We see a horned beast sitting on a block of concrete. A man and a woman are loosely chained to this block. If they wanted to, they could free themselves but fear and insecurity have stifled them.
The Devil is that part of your mind that whispers that you can’t do it, that you aren’t worthy or good enough, that if you can't do it well you’d better not do it at all or that you are just too tired today to do anything at all.  All these limiting and oppressing thoughts will keep you from moving forward, from growing, from becoming who you are meant to be and simply from enjoying your life.
So what to do when The Devil pays you a visit and throws his chains over your head? The Ace of Pentacles encourages us to get up and do something: do the dishes, water the plants, gesso a page. Whatever comes to mind, however simple it may be, the first action after the initial thought will set you free from the Devils influence.

What could be your Ace of Pentacles today?

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Seven of Swords - Putting it all together

After yesterday’s card, the Seven of Swords seems to invite us to really take a good look at what we believe to be true and to shed some light over contradicting idea’s. This card invites me to write about my spiritual beliefs and how I came to this personal blend of several belief systems.
As you all know I was raised Christian but never felt quite comfortable with the exclusive nature of Christianity. Although I loved God and Jesus, the dogma’s were putting me off immensely.  So starting in adolescence,  I have always been trying to fit in with other kinds of spiritual groups but up until today I have never found one. Buddhism, Wicca, Paganism, they all have beautiful and deep truths but somehow I missed the God of my Childhood and, honestly, there was always the fear of being totally wrong and the impending consequences.
My altar was a beautiful representation of my confusion and my swaying between different beliefs. One day I would have representations of Mary, Jesus and other Christian symbols on my altar but a month later it could have changed into a celebration of nature and the Divine Feminine. When I was totally confused I reduced it to a few crystals and a large white candle.
Then I picked up “Paganism” by River and Joyce Higginbotham which taught me that our idea’s of Divinity are something entirely different then Divinity itself. Words, ideas etc are only limiting our perception of God.
This helped me to overcome the fear to be wrong and after long deliberation, I took a leap of faith and I wholeheartedly embraced God as truly multifaceted. It was such a relief not having to puzzle the pieces together but experiencing how everything blends in seamlessly: my love for Jesus and Mary are in no way contradicting with my reverence for Mother Holda and the  Great Mother. One thing that l really love is that with Jesus, I have a male aspect of God to relate to which was very difficult for me when I was solely focusing on Paganism.
In this card we see the old man desperately trying to fit his seven swords in a structure he can work with. I am now positive he will succeed but only when he is willing to implement some room for mystery and awe because our spirit can take us places where our mind cannot enter.

Monday, June 5, 2017

Six of Swords - Mind Traveling

Druidcraft Tarot Six of Swords
Today’s card is the Six of Swords from the Druidcraft Tarot. Two persons are sitting in a little boat: a young woman, a man. The boatman is guiding his boat of the river. I wonder where it is they are going to. They do have still some issues to resolve because they have brought their Swords with them. Where ever you go, you cannot outrun your problems but you can put them aside for a while so you can find some peace of mind and crossing the river in a boat will prevent you from drowning in your worries or get too tangled up in them.

Nowadays for me, there is no place like home, so I don’t see myself traveling in the real world anytime soon. But I do like travel in my mind: reading books, watching movies, fantasize or just wandering my mind and see where this will lead me. There is so much to discover in the boundless world of our imagination. The only thing we need is a cozy spot and the willingness to be taken on a journey by your inner ferryman.

Friday, June 2, 2017

Six and Ten of Fire – Use you energy wisely

Two cards today: the Six and the Ten of Fire from the Dreams of Gaia Tarot. First I drew the Six of Fire which represents a truce after a conflict. This could be a disagreement with somebody else or, perhaps even more often, an internal conflict. For today and in light of the meaning of the Ten of Fire, I 've picked the last option.

We see two opponents in the Six of Fire, crossing their swords but with the tip pointed down. The mediator is raising his right index finger up as if he is going to speak his verdict over this argument. If they are going to abide by this ruling is going to depend on whether they both are willing to compromise and to listen to each other’s point a view. Yes, sometimes we have to call a halt to our inner combats. It is a loss of vital energy and our rational mind has to put a stop to this. When we can find some internal peace, then we can direct our energy to something more fulfilling like to the energy of the Ten of Fire. This is the card of “mastery of craft and of self”. This kind of mastery doesn’t come overnight. No, we have to apply ourselves diligently and passionately. This card doesn’t imply you have to become the very best but it does encourage us to do your very best. As long as we improve ourselves and our craft we are on the right track. And, let’s not forget to celebrate our achievements along the way. Yes, seeing this card, the quarrel in the Six of Fire seem ever so futile.

Ps I Love how the Dandelions bloom  thanks to the overflowing cup of the mediator