A Few of My Favorite Things Spread

Yesterday I found a lovely tarot spread on IG, created by Magpietarot and it's called: “A few of my favorite things spread". I thought it would be fun to try it out here and I chose the Crystal Visions Tarot to do this. You have to separate the Minor Arcana into suits. Than shuffle your little stacks and pull one card from each suit to answer the questions below. I also pulled one card from the Majors because I didn’t want them to feel left out.

From the Wands: Where does my confidence shine?  Eight of Wands – Wnen I am on a roll and everything is going my way.  I don’t mind doing a lot as long as all the horses are running in the same direction. Then I feel like I am the queen of the world
From the Cups: What brings me joy? Queen of Cups.  Very simple but not so easy: To love and be loved and feel connected to  God(dess)

From the Swords: Where do I feel wise? Four of Swords – Haha, that is a good one! When I take a time out when I need it and not when it is already long overdue.

From the Pentacles: What makes me feel safe & secure? Eight of Pentacles – When I do the work and stay in the moment. Whether it is painting a picture or doing the dishes. 

From the Majors: Which underlying energy will make it all possible? The Hanged Man. To let go of all ideas about what I think I should do and try to live more in the here and now, where I might see things from a fresh point a view.

Raidho and the Queen of Cups - Trusting you inner Compass

Last weekend I have immersed myself in Norse myths, the Edda, and my rune studies. It seems that a light snowfall is all it needs to awaken my love for that part of my ancestral heritage. So with that in mind I wanted to pull a rune for today’s post and I got Raidho (wheel, travel). This rune is not only about physical travel and all the preparations this involves but maybe even more so about spiritual travel; about finding our path in life and following it. Both kinds of travels require some similar attributes which are a.o. resourcefulness, determination and flexibility.

So which aspect of ourselves can help us to keep moving forward in the right direction?
And I got the Queen of Cups form the Shadowscapes Tarot. I love that in this depiction she has risen from her throne and is walking the path with one carefully placed step at the time. She has no need to watch where she puts her feet. She is following her inner compass, which tells her exactly where her companions will emerge. It looks so easy, almost effortlessly. She is dancing on the waves for as long as she keeps moving forward because in movement we can find our balance.

I think our intuition is our most important guide on our journeys. It allows us to travel with ease. If we can muster the courage to trust this sometimes elusive part of our soul, we will able to  dance through life and over whatever waves we will meet. I also believe we can trust that we are carried when needed.

The Woodward and Queen of Vessels - There is no easy way out

Today’s word to draw a card with is "Crossroads" and I got The Woodward and Queen of vessels-Salmon from the Wildwood Tarot.

Some of my initial thoughts where: if anybody could make the right decisions to find his way out of the dark forest it is The Woodward. But even the strong and experienced Woodward needs some quiet time to collect his thoughts and weigh his options before his can make the right choice, not only for himself but also for his environment. I wonder if his cup is also filled with coffee just like mine is, when I am trying the make up my mind about what to do next and where to go from here.

Next I got the Queen of Vessels to add some  intuitive wisdom to this post. She is the living example that the best way is most often not the easiest way. It takes a whole lot of courage and determination to swim upstream but she knows without an doubt, this is the best choice for her and her future offspring.

She advises us to not only to make our decision based on our strength but also on our intuition because together these two aspects of ourselves can show us the way out of any forest.

“You can always take the easy way out and give up, but real strength comes, when you decide to keep pushing forward, no matter what the circumstances are”

What does royalty have to say about workouts?

Now Autumn has finally begun this year, it is time to hit the gym again. To be honest, during this heat wave I wasn’t really up to it. When I haven’t exercised in a while,it is always a bit hard for me to pick it up again and to keep at it. Excuses seem to pop up from everywhere: too hot, too tired, too busy, or I just don’t feel like it, but eventually I went. While I was walking on the tread mill, I was thinking about what the Tarot might have to say about exercising. Immediately I saw four young Pages running around the gym, trying out the equipment. They didn't pay me any attention, let alone have the time to talk to me. So I directed my thoughts to the Queens and asked them why I should work out regularly, even if I don’t really feel like it:

Queen of Wands: "Girl, it is the perfect way to keep your energy levels up and set you ablaze. Feel how your heart is pumping the red blood through your veins! You will be fired up to seize the day!"

Queen of Cups: "Ah my dear, working out will most definitely reduce your stress levels and make you feel so much more calm and relaxed. Breath in and out and produce those endorphins!"

Queen of Swords: "My dear lady, nothing is more effective to clear your mind from worrying and depressing thoughts than to work up a sweat. The most ingenious ideas will come to you when you are physically active."

Queen of Pentacles: "Oh sweetie, what can I add  to  this sincere advice. Exercising is a gift to your body, which is just as precious as your spirit, your soul and your mind. Treat it well and it will serve you accordingly and don’t forget to eat healthy too."

Well that settles it: Working out will be an priority on my weekly to-do list!

Queen of Cups - Sometimes kindness is overrated

Today’s; card is the Queen of Cups from the Shadowscapes Tarot. I’ve drawn this with the following question in mind: “What old beliefs are no longer true about myself?” This question is part of the IG Challenge about Self love. 

I felt a bit disappointed when I got the Queen of Cups. I do like her a lot and I don’t pull her often, so when she was to represent an outdated belief about myself, I was rather flabbergasted. But then it dawned on me. This message was about my belief that I always have to be caring and loving, creative and intuitive, emphatic and spiritual connected to be worthy of love. Because all those things are the result of self improvement, of listening to God(des) of being the best version me, I could be. But truthfully I am not. I am not that kind and caring and all those other things. Sometimes I am selfish and moody. I can be so angry and even cruel. Does this mean I don’t listen to my inner voice or God(dess); that I am not improving myself. No it means I am only human, worthy of a never ceasing Self Love. Because on the cold and clouded rainy days I deserve to be loved and cared for even more by myself that on the sunny days. 

Shadow Work Spread

Today I’ve done the Shadow Work Spread from the Shadow Work October Challenge by @Mnomquah on IG. For this spread I’ve used the Deviant Moon Tarot by Patrick Valenza.

1 The Light – What you know and accept about yourself?

Queen of Cups. I know I am a loving an protective mother. Always listening to others and  trying to understand them and to feel what they need from me; to know how to help them. I also acknowledge my depression and I try to live with it as good as I possible can.

2 The Shadow – What is hidden from you about yourself?

The Knight of Wands. This is the same card as I’ve chosen for my “least favorite card of the deck”. Well now it is obvious why I picked this card. My Shadow wants to be heard loud and clearly. She wants to be adventurous and to try out new things. She knows no fear or at least she will not be held back by it.

3 Why do you fear you Shadow? What is preventing you from seeing and accepting you Shadow?

Six of Wands. I am afraid of the resistance of my loved ones. They don’t know that part of me. Accepting my shadow might cause conflicts and I don’t know if I am brave enough to face that.

4 Why should you embrace your Shadow? What are the positive sides of your Shadow that would benefit you?

Temperance. My personality would be so much more balanced if I could embrace my Shadow. It would be a very healing experience for me.

5 How to integrate the Shadow into the Light. What steps you should take in order to accept your Shadow?

Four of Swords. It is tempting to try to do Shadow Work only in your head. You have to feel and digest what you’ve learned too; really sit with is and let it sink in and take your time for it. This is the part when the real healing begins

6 The Outcome -The possibilities if you succeed in bringing the Shadow into the Light

The  Magician. I like this card in this position. The possibilities are endless, I can do anything I set m mind to, if I marry my Queen of Cups with my Knight of Wands. Yes so much energy will be set free if they live happily ever after

I am always a bit anxious when I am doing a large and very personal spread like this. Would the cards make sense? What if it is all abracadabra? A bit like stage fright perhaps. Anyway I loved how this spread worked out for me and the insights I got from it. Now I am going for a walk; some much needed Four of Swords time....

Queen of cups – walking the waves

Today’s card is the Queen of Cups from the Shadowscapes Tarot. I absolutely love this depiction of the Queen of Cups. She has risen from her throne and entered her kingdom. Fearlessly and with confidence, she is walking the waves, following a path which is unfolding for her step by step. Without a plan or road map, just guided by her intuition, she puts one foot before the other and with every step a sea turtle is there, to carry her as her stepping stone. She is totally aligned with her intuition, her feelings and emotions. This is her realm. This is her home. The stars in the sky will guide her. They symbolize wisdom from days past and  hope for the future.  In this card everything is fluid: the sea, the standing stones in the background, the sky, her glowing creative imagination: all the elements are present and flowing naturally into one another.

Tomorrow I am going to visit my mother for a few days. When we are together we are both very much like this queen, each in our very own way.  I do hope my intuition will guide me to put my feet on solid places and be kind and loving, while wading through this watery weekend.  I just want to be there and enjoy her company without expecting anything in return.  I want to focus on our time spend together instead of on how I would have wanted it to be.

So when I return home again I will be fulfilled and happy to have been there for her, like she has been there for me for so long!

So see you all next week! 

Queen of Cups – Listen to my heart

My card for today is the Queen of Cups from the Crystals Visions Tarot. This queen isn't  sitting on a throne; instead she has chosen a rock near a deep pond to meditate and reflect. From the muddy bottom of this pond Water Lilies are blooming in the moonlight. Dragonflies are flying from flower to flower. Both are symbols of emerging from the unconscious, being aware of your feelings and see them as a reliable guideline.

This queen is warm, sensitive and highly emotional. She is a gentle nurturer and empathic compassionate caregiver. Since she is rather passive (water of water) her strength lies in sharing feelings and listening to others. Don’t expect her to help you organize a party but she will be a wonderful host and make everybody feel at home.

When all her emotions get too overwhelming, she can become broody, needy and manipulative. The best she can do then is to shield herself from too much impressions, cool her feet in the water and sit there for a while with herself.

Some days I can relate to this queen but a lot but after a longer period of “Queen of Cupsiness” I get irritated with myself. Then I long for some action and to get my feet out of the water and back on the ground.

For today however it might be a good advice to listen to my  gut feelings and intuition and put my overactive logical mind to rest for a while. This might help me to be more attentive to the needs of others as well as to my own. (Somehow I keep forgetting that “Listen” is my word of the year J)

“The quieter you become, the more you are able to hear” - Rumi

From Two of Swords to Queen of Cups

For today another card from the Anna K tarot, which I absolutely adore. It is the two of swords in a slightly different setting as the usual R.W. versions. Here we see a man who is ignoring his two swords and has his back turned to them. They are standing right outside the door on the beach. The sea is rough, the waves are high. The moon is waxing as are probable his emotions too. The sand is already inside; covering the neat tiled floor. He has to do something to move forward, but obviously he has not been able to do anything yet. This moment is giving him his much needed time-out. He cannot go anywhere and according to his facial expression he knows. It is what it is,for now.

It is very easy for me to relate to this man. I think I have an armory full of swords, waiting to discarded or to be chosen. But not yet, not now,  because I honestly don’t know what to do with them and which ones to pick.

I hardly ever go there and as long as I don’t open the door it seems as if it isn't there.

I didn't want it to leave it like this so I asked what would be a good way to approach my Two of Swords mentality and I got the Queen of Cups. Look at her sitting there, under a starry sky,  with her feet and one hand in the cool rippling water.  It is as if the raging sea from the Two of Swords immediately calmed down after she has touched it. The moon is mirroring the moon from the first card; it is waning. Emotions are settling down. Perhaps it is scary to  get in touch with your feelings, to make decisions, but in the end it is not so bad as it was to be expected.

Queen of cups: a pity party and caring for myself at the same time

Not feeling that well altogether. I first thought let’s skip a day from my daily draws. But then I thought, perhaps I could ask a question about  how to go about my day feeling like this. I’ve chosen the Anna K Tarot to answer my question and I've got the Queen of cups. And what a perfect mirror for me this is. She is sitting there on the rocks feeling sorry for herself and trying to ease her pain by pulling her feet and fingertips softly through the water.  I wonder what is in that cup. I hope it is a good glass of red wine.  The moon is waning  the stars are shining but she doesn’t notice it: To absorbed with her own pity party. Luckily she has also the capacity to stand up and take care of herself. Be kind and loving and understanding. Perhaps she’ll put the kettle on for a nice pot of chamomile tea. Because that is what you need when you had an appointment with the dentist this morning just for a checkup and instead also had a molar extracted L

Give love and feel good

Angel Tarot

This morning when I woke up I felt rather down. The excitement of the new year has decreased a bit and I feel tired. Outside the weather is grey and gloomy. I picked up my new Angel Tarot, which I’m growing quite fond of and  I drew the Queen of Water (Cups). What a beautiful card.  When I see a card from this deck, immediately my eyes are drawn to the words and only after reading the words and phrases, I look at the picture. But don’t let the simplicity of the words fool you. In this picture there is a lot going on. This queen is an angel as well as a mermaid. She is connected to the heavens as well as to the deep vast ocean. The stars from heaven guide her and light her way. The air and clouds are circling around her  while she is treading the waves accompanied by the large sea mammals. 

Shadowscapes Tarot

She is the embodiment of tenderness, love and empathy. She is connected to her higher self and at the same time she completely aware of her unconscious and therefore she is has total access to her intuition to do the right thing an speak the right words.

This Queen reminds me of the queen of cups in the Shadowscapes tarot who is also showing us she is able to dance in both worlds at the same time.

First I thought this card was a message to be kind and gentle with myself today. But now I know it was also a loving suggestion to be all that for my youngest who had a lot of anxiety about her teeth (orthodontic troubles) We talked a lot and did find an appeasing solution. It is funny, but I feel a lot better myself. Instead of reveling in my own problems,  I was more focused on helping and loving her. And in turn, she is feeling a lot better too. So this was a win, win situation

Interview with the Wildwood Tarot

Never before have I done a deck interview spread with a new tarot deck. But yesterday, with this deck it felt like it was the appropriate thing to do. In that way we would get formally introduced to each other. Although I know it’s just a pack of 78 cards, it feels like there´s an old energy  surrounding this deck. It’s making me a little bit hesitant to approach it; to work with it. I’m not that overly sensitive, so this is rather new for me and I am wondering: who am I kidding? That’s why I decided to do the deck interview. I've mixed up some the other interview spreads that I've found online. These are the questions for my deck and the cards that I've drawn:

Wildwood Tarot deck  interview

1.       Who are you?

The Wheel -  I am the loom of the Wildwood and I will teach you how to weave

2.       What is your most important characteristic?

Eight of arrows -  I have enough courage and dedication to keep going even when our thoughts  collide and dilemma’s arise. I will keep my torch burning hoping for better times.

3.       What are you going to teach me?

The Gardian - I will show you how to face your fears and how to enter the dark caverns of your mind.

4.       what can I give you in return?

Ten of arrows -  Respect and reverence and an open communication

5.       What are your strengths as a deck?

Knight of bows – fox – I am determined, dynamic and clever, and where necessary innovating.

6.       What will our relationship be like?

Four of vessels – beware of boredom and disenchantment after the first rush of infatuation . We’ll strive to keep things fresh and alive and search for new challenges.

7.       Is there anything else you would like to tell me about yourself?

Queen of vessels – My child I will guide you with love through the Wildwood and I’ll ask you to dedicate yourself with an honest and open mind to our journey together

This was a very deep experience. I just sat at my table watching my cards and felt really connected to whatever it was I felt. For some cards I had to look up additional information in the guide book but the overall message was very clear… I had to laugh about the gift of respect this deck wants from me. I was right about that J

Also the Fox of bows has given an unexpected touch to this reading. “Innovating and clever” wasn't what I had in mind for this deck. It has added an unknown spark of wit to it.

This reading has been very helpful to get the edge of our first real encounter and we’ll see where we’ll go from here.