The Second New Moon of March

Just as in January, March has two new moons.  As I've said then, this has no particularly significance for me. It is just the consequence of our Gregorian calendar (1582) This is a liturgical adaptation from the Julian Calendar(46 BC) which has divided our year in twelve months instead of following the lunations.

Anyway let’s not digress. For this new moon I have visualized my circle and meditated about the importance of sacred space. I haven't chanted because I've learned chanting works better for me when I am doing something active: riding my bike, cooking, cleaning etc. When I meditate, I like to focus on my breath. It is good to experience I feel the freedom to adapt my practice to my own needs.

For this new moon I've pulled two cards from my Osho Zen Tarot. They almost speak for themselves... 

Osho Zen Tarot

Release: Nine of Fire- Exhaustion

This man is trapped in his own machinery, thinking he is indispensable and unable to leave his enormous good for nothing contraption. He is captured by self-importance and a false sense of duty. There is no room to play or to  be spontaneous. He has to stay in control; on top of it. This card reminds me to be flexible with structure, rules and routines. They are here to be helpful, not to imprison me. This card is telling me to leave my “factory” and live every day as it was the first one. Don’t react (automatically) but response (mindfully)

Embrace: The Queen of Rainbows - Flowering

The Queen of Rainbows is like a fantastic plant fully in bloom. She is alive and full of possibilities. The sleeves of her garment contain an abundance of seeds. It doesn't matter if they will germinate, she is just spreading them everywhere out of love and celebration for life. "Flowers fall on her from above, and the waters of emotion swirl playfully beneath her".

This is card represents everything I could be if I can leave my contraption. How much wasted energy could be set free. I just have to spread love and joy around me and I will notice how these little seeds produce smiles and brighten up faces. And this in turn will make me happy.

My Spring altar

I thought it would be nice to post a picture of my Spring altar. Notice the little broom as a symbol for cleansing my sacred space. Yesterday I've lighted my candles, touched my element representations and performed a little ritual which felt really good en familiar to do. Hopefully this wil bring about a fresh breeze through spiritual practice.

Nemetona - Sacred Space

For this weekend I’ve drawn an oracle card from the Goddess Guidance Oracle by Doreen Virtue. I was pleasantly surprised when I pulled this card from the deck: Nemetona – Sacred Space. She is the Celtic Goddess of the sacred grove.

“She is the sacred grove and it is her. She is sacred space, whether that is found within the majestic trees of a grove or if it is held simply within one's heart. She is holy breath, the sanctuaries we create, not out of stone and mortar, but out of love and reverence… Simply put, she is sacred space.”(Sora Nalani)

After the Nine of Pentacles from yesterday,  which was all about enjoying life’s little luxuries in the physical world, this one is emphasizing to retreat and  find a more spiritual sanctuary in order to connect to the Divine. This can be a real place in nature or maybe a church , but in my circumstances I am thinking more about a small altar or a inner sacred space. I was reminded by the importance of this by Sharyn in her yesterday’s comment:”We often need to mentally go to our room of quiet joy”. I do have a little altar in my room upstairs but lately it hasn’t been used very much. I’ve redecorated it for Ostara and Spring and that’s about it. My inner cottage has to be swept and dusted too. It has been so long since I have been there. It is definitely in need of some serious "Springitual" cleaning J

Have a wonderful weekend!

Nine of Pentacles - Feeling secure within my own boundaries

From The Crystal Visions Tarot I've pulled for today the Nine of Pentacles. As usual we see a refined woman who has done well for herself and is enjoying life’s little luxuries in her garden. She is fulfilled and content. In most of my decks she is only accompanied by her falcon while in this depiction there is also a tiger present.

This tiger reminded me of my post about finding Durga through tarot. The goddess Durga is a protectress of boundaries and she is riding a tiger while fighting of the enemies. This evening my son in law will come to stay with us for one week and Sunday my husband will come to visit us too. I think protecting my boundaries can be a “lifesaver” for me, although of course those two men are not my enemies. It is more about my inner demons, the ones that urge me to ignore my own needs. Too often without noticing it, I am inclined to push my boundaries for the sake of everybody else’s happiness. But thanks to this card, I will remind myself I have a lovely room upstairs where I can be that lady of the Nine of Pentacles. I can read there, play with my cards, meditate, write, drink my coffee: just be comfortable with myself en recharge. And if the weather is fine there is a bike waiting for me in the shed or I can pull out a chair to sit in the back of my garden. So for the coming week, keeping my boundaries will be a focal point. And when I see how relaxed the tiger is laying there beside his lady, I think everything will work out just fine

Cups, cups, cups: A three card spread for my Daily draw

For today I've pulled a lot of cups from my Morgan Greer Tarot deck. It is becoming a bit of a theme these days.  It seems to me my cards like to communicate a certain message to me:

Morgan Greer Tarot

Seven of Cups – It is so easy to get overwhelmed by the innumerous amount of choices we are presented with these days. Some are healthy and bring about spiritual growth and some are more shallow. Some are very tempting and even addictive. How do we find our way in this enticing labyrinth?

Temperance – This card is teaching us to practice patience and maintain a sense of balance. Sometimes it is wise to take a step back and carefully consider your options, think whether you really need and want what you wish for.

Ace of Cups -  Our reward, our ultimate Cup, overflowing with love in whatever form. This is the card of receptivity, creativity, openness, spirituality and intuition. It is the holy grail of the seeker. The Cup which stands out from all the other cups in the first card.

To wrap this up, I think it is so important not to be tempted by all sorts of glamorous possibilities but to really weigh your choices and to go for the most fulfilling option.
"An object in possession seldom retains the same charm that it had in pursuit". – Pliny the Younger

The Page of Cups and his fish

For today I've drawn the Page of Cups from the Original Rider Waite tarot. This is a lovely and gentle card to pull. Mostly I interpret this card as unexpected intuitive messages, creative impulses, hunches and gut feelings. The page of Cups is talking with his fish. Behind him the waves of the sea represent his internal stirrings and potential. He doesn't notice them. His mind is fully absorbed by this fish he talking too. He is never been taught to suppress his intuition and imagination. He is totally open and free to listen to the messages the fish is giving him.

Pages are like children. Everything which emerges from within is a bit raw, naive and childlike. They need the freedom to explore and play in order to discover the world around them. It was my theme for this month to listen more to my inner voice and believe me I've tried but the times when I thought I heard or felt something, were the times I was the least expecting it. Perhaps while playing; being totally absorbed in whatever I was doing, when my mind was to focused to dismiss my intuition as foolish inner chitchat. Following the way of this page can bring us intuitive and creative renewal. Just live in the moment; be fully aware of what you are doing and our little fish will talk to us too.

The World – I've got the whole wide World in my hands

Today I've chosen The Anna K Tarot for my daily draw and I've got The World!
I think this world Card is one of the most beautiful World cards that I own.  It contains the whole world/ universe in a nutshell: the sun, the  moon phases, the stars and the world tree or Yggdrasil. I love how the moon circles around the tree and the sun and how the new moon its hidden between the roots, waiting to be reborn.

Before I drew this card I asked: what will be my gift for this Spring. And I got the world, which for  me symbolizes being one with everything and everybody and being present in this precious moment.  From microcosm to macrocosm and back again. This card is our potential and our goal; our journey and our destination. 

To see this card makes me happy. To read it is difficult. This card is about feeling complete and whole. About knowing your place in the world. Knowing who you are and excepting yourself completely. On a smaller scale it is about  completing a cycle, coming full circle and starting over in The Fools position.  This could represent the rebirth of nature in the Spring. Or perhaps in the light of my previous posts I can see this card also as an encouragement to take responsibility for my own happiness and well being; to be authentic and not afraid of my own desires and to move fluidly within my own cycles of ups and downs while being firmly rooted in and  nourished by my earth based spirituality.

A surprising combination of cards: Four and Ace of Cups

This morning after a dreary weekend, I wondered if the cards would show me a shift in my frame of mind. I still am feeling somewhat tired, bored and restless. No wonder when I picked up my already beloved pack of cards; The Original Rider Waite Tarot, I pulled the four of cups. Could it be possible this would be another blah day? I can identify with this man so much: his arms and legs are crossed He is closed for any new idea, feeling or opportunity to be happy. He clings to his moodiness and boredom. 

The Original Rider Waite Tarot

So I pulled another card with the question what should I do to end this cycle of self pity; how can I clear my inner blocks and stand up and do something nice for myself? And I pulled the Ace of cups and after I gave those two cards another look I had to laugh. It is so obvious. In the Four of Cups the man is presented a fourth cup by the heavenly hand. The same cup and hand are depicted in the Ace of Cups only bigger and in my case louder. It is as if the cards are screaming to me: Pick up the damn cup woman and take responsibility for  your thoughts and how they make you feel. Shake of the indolence and embrace a new attitude of love and gratitude!

I noticed this combination of cards would only convey this message to me with a Rider Waite deck. In most of my other decks there is no giving hand and the depicted person is gazing eagerly at the fourth cup in the sky. So I am happy I picked up my O.R.W. deck.

Don’t you just love is when the tarot speaks to you like an old friend? 

A great question to ask the tarot

The Original Rider Waite Tarot

When you draw a daily card sometimes it can be hard to discover which aspect of your card is relevant for this day. Especially when you pull a gloom and doom card. Yesterday I saw an interview on Daily tarot girl with Sasha Graham, an author  of tarot books. She shared with us her go-to question which, in her opinion, is always applicable to any card in any situation. I agree with her that tarot can be a wonderful tool  to teach you how to live your life to the fullest. A tool that can clear away the “cobwebs in your attic” Her question is: “What can I do right now, in this moment that will bring me pleasure and also positively impact my future” (Sasha Graham)

So for today I have asked this question to the Original Rider Waite Tarot and I've got: The Seven of Pentacles. It is almost too good to be true. Out of 78 cards I've got the gardening card or perhaps for today it is better called the after gardening card. For now we are almost finished  with our garden and I am so tired. I had made all sort of plans about what I was going to do after the gardening project but now I am too tired to do anything. And to be completely honest I can stand myself for being tired so that isn't helping either.

And now back to the question: The best thing for me to do right now; which will bring me pleasure is to step back and enjoy the fruits of my labor. Just look at the expression in the guys face. He is so content and at peace in this moment. This will impact my future positively because before I can start another project I have to regain my strength and while doing so I am going to be proud of myself en non judgmental for being tired.

This question is a keeper for me and I hope you will enjoy it too

Temperance - Taking the middle way

Original Rider Waite Tarot

It won’t be a surprise to you all that I've chosen the Original Rider Waite Tarot to pull my daily card from. And for today I've got Temperance: The beautiful calm and serene angel who is standing with one foot in the water and the other one on the land. This card always reminds me of the Star card. Only while the woman from the Star is emptying her jugs completely, the angel of Temperance is pouring the  liquid from one cup into the other. There is a sense of caution in this card  as if the angel is afraid to spill a drop and also as if he or she is testing the waters before walking in. The Fool which I've pulled yesterday would have jumped in right away. Perhaps this card is telling me besides to be spontaneous and carefree, it is also wise to remain prudent. Not to act without a second thought of the consequences. This was the message from the Stag (Wildwood Tarot). As I come to think it, this card is making a perfect blend between the playful childlike energy of The Fool and the responsibility of the Stag. I just love it when my readings fit together. 

A Rebirth tarot Spread for Ostara

I’ve found an amazing small tarot spread for this Holiday on Chloe’s blog “InnerWhispers”.There you can read how she was inspired by the Rebirth card from the Druidcraft Tarot to create this spread.  I love three card spreads because I like my spreads to be small and concise. I love to be able to see in one glance what the cards are telling me.

The questions for the Rebirth spread are:

1 What darkness am I leaving behind?
2 What new hope is approaching?
3 What can help me find my bearings at this time?

For this spread I've used my brand new Original Rider Waite Tarot for the first time. I was so happy to finally find the time to work with it. Al the gardening and shopping for flowers and plants and fertilizer has taken up a lot of my time and energy. So here are the cards I’ve drawn for this spread:

The Original Rider Waite Tarot

1 What darkness am I leaving behind? – Ten of Swords

Well I don’t think it can’t get any clearer than this. I am leaving behind the darkness of my despair and anxiety, which has been trying to take root these last few weeks. But dawn is slowly breaking, so there is hope; there is always hope.

2 What new hope is approaching? – Four of Pentacles

This was quite a confusing card but I can read it as my growing awareness of letting go of material desires to ease and numb my pain. These kind of “treats and presents” don’t sustain or heal me but rather they encourage my cravings for more.

3 What can help me find my bearings at this time? – The Fool

The Fool couldn't be a better guide for my rebirth in this season.  I love the way the dawn in the Ten of Swords has changed in a bright new day. The energy of this card is fresh, careless, free and  a bit naive. I can hardly remember when I have felt like that: without worries or fear. Perhaps when I was a lot younger and the world was at my feet. Life could be so much more adventurous and fun if I would let The Fool take me by the hand and let him walk with me step by step; moment by moment

Ostara Contemplation with the Wildwood Tarot

In two days we can already celebrate the Spring equinox also known as Ostara. She is the Goddess of Spring and is also called Eostre. The hare is her scared animal (yay!). It seems like time is passing more quickly these days or is it just because I’m getting older?

When we look around us we can see how the Spring goddess Ostara is covering the land with her unbridled energy: trees are blossoming and flowers and leaves are budding, birds are nesting and singing and it feels like the dark veil of winter has been lifted for good. This is also the time when the seed is starting to sprout. So most Easter festivities were held to stimulate growth and fertility. 

The Wildwood Tarot

On our journey in the a Wildwood, we encounter The Archer. In the unconscious mind of The Wanderer we've met at Imbolc, some sparks of intellect and focus are beginning to dawn. They will blossom into idea’s and goals. So now the time is right to pick up our arrows of desire and aim them into the right direction. We do have to be aware of the consequences of our actions. We can’t just do as we please. The  Stag is slowing us down and reminding us of our responsibilities He is not about man made laws but more about the primal principles like “as you sow so shall you reap” or the karmic balance of life. The Stag is reminding us not only to pick up the ax to build  and cultivate but also the shield to defend the land and its inhabitants; both plant and animal.  

Both the equinoxes are times to take stock of our actions and their consequences: Are you on the right path? What do you do to keep the balance, either in your own personal life as well as for the land; the ecosystem?

So back to the garden it is. I wish you all a  Happy Ostara!

Some snapshots from our spring garden

A new deck - The first impressions are so important

In December last year I've written a post where I was praising my most favorite and wonderful tarot deck: the Rider Waite Tarot. In one of my comments I stated I would one day buy myself The Original Rider Waite Tarot and my dear friends that day has come. Yay!!! Yesterday afternoon the postman has delivered this long awaited parcel in my mailbox .

It was so exciting to open it and to feel the cards. There is something about touching and looking at your deck for the first time. (like opening and starting to read a brand new book) The smell of the cards, the silky feel of the lamination. The crisp white borders. Fanning them out and noticing  how the patterns on the back are merging together. The following step is flipping through the deck: one by one you meet your cards. Gently, almost unnoticeable, every card is giving you a first impression. Then the time is right to shuffle your deck. Not rough, but oh so carefully,  piling them up in seven or nine stacks and putting the deck together again.

And then we start talking……..

Okay back to reality. This deck is everything I hoped for. I love the sturdiness of the cards, the lilies and roses on the back and the muted color tones and the soft minty greens. When you place them in a spread, the cards blend together in one beautiful narrative picture. 

OMG, I think I'm in love. This could be the beginning of a long and steady relationship J

A three card spread about communication skills

For today I've drawn three cards. First I'll read the center card and then the two adjacent cards which are explaining or modifying the center card.

The center card is the Three of Pentacles and usually I read this as my creativity card but today the three debating persons are standing out more to me. Two people are standing on the side and sharing their knowledge and ideas with the craftsman. I have the feeling they want to defend their point of view without acknowledging the practical skills of the artist

Universal Waite Tarot

In Holland we have a saying which, when translated, literally says: "The best helmsmen stand on shore" and it is the equivalent of "Bachelors' wives and maidens' children are well taught." Only the Dutch saying  is probable slightly more applicable to this card.

I read the Three of Pentacles today as the Springtime gardening discussions between M. and me. M. is doing the hard work  and I have an advantage in experience. She wants to be responsible for the whole garden but I want to have some say in it too. And to be honest we don’t always agree about everything.

I see both the sword cards as  the two extremes in how we might convey our opinions. The Eight of Swords is about a  having a victim attitude, being a pushover and taking no responsibility  for what is happening and the Knight of Swords is quite the opposite: everything has to go his way or he can be become very annoyed at the least. The eight of swords attitude mostly happens when one of us doesn’t get her way (childish, I know J).

As always it is usually for the best if we to try to search for the middle way. In that way we can both have our say and learn from each other’s point a view.

It was very funny to be able to discover our gardening issues in my daily draw

Nine of wands – What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

After a quiet and enjoyable Sunday, I've pulled another nine for today: the Nine of wands from the Rider Waite Tarot. I have to say, I'd rather have this card than having to deal with the despair of the Nine of Swords. The figure in this card still has his determination and strength to overcome the final challenge. He has struggled and  been through a lot. He has been battered and bruised but he has prevailed and is still standing on his own two feet

The way he is looking over his shoulder is telling us he is on his guard for the last attack. It is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. When things tend to go wrong we expect them to go wrong the next time too. This man is letting his past shape his present moment. Although I can’t blame him since I am a master in doing the same thing. Our fears are mostly much worse than reality is.

When I would look for a positive advice from this card I would say that if his experiences, endurance and probable  his cunning and strength has brought him this far, he can rely on himself to be able to make it on his own when the next challenge will arise. So we can also see this card as reminder of our self reliance and inner strength.

Some questions to think about:

• What battle have I fought which has scarred me but strengthened me at the same time?
• Who or what do I need to protect?
• What is consuming a lot of my strength?

“It is worth remembering that the time of greatest gain in terms of wisdom and inner strength is often that of greatest difficulty.”

Dalai Lama

All the ingredients for nice relaxed Sunday

After the challenging cards of last week according to my tarot cards, I am going to have a lovely Sunday. I am going to enjoy my own company as well as spending some quality time with my daughters. So this is going to be a day of harmony and balance.

I seem to be more inclined to acknowledge the predictive qualities of the tarot when I pull positive cards like these two. Perhaps I am more eager to be influenced by the energy of these two cards rather than feeling depressed about my nine of swords experience.

But as always it all comes down to my own perception of reality. What are my thoughts and how do they make me feel? If I feel down how can I be mindful enough to be aware of my thoughts and change them into more comforting ones?

Perhaps cards like these can be helpful in this process. Today I have drawn them from my deck but sometimes I pick the cards which will remind me of qualities I want to embrace or manifest. Almost like a sort of a visual affirmation. I used to do this more often and I am glad that I have rediscovered this practice by writing this post

Which card would you pick for yourself?

Sometimes you just have to be told over and over again!

Sometimes you draw a card and you feel like you've been hit in the stomach: Not again the nine of Swords. A little bit more than a week ago I drew the Nine of Air from the Angeltarot. 

This depiction was a lot more gentle than the rendition of the Druidcraft Tarot which follows neatly the Rider Waite imagery: a woman in despair holding her head in her hands in hands, unable to sleep.

She is obviously at a loss, sad and depressed. Often when I get a card more often then usual it is clear to me I haven’t got the message  yet. So I asked the cards what should a I do to solve the problems represented by this card and I drew the Eight of Cups. This is also a card I get a lot in personal readings. It is like the tarot is screaming: “wake up woman”, which would sound less cynical if  the woman in the nine of swords wasn't having sleepless nights. J

It looks like she was able to get out of her bed and has dressed herself in her red sheet and blue blanket. She is leaving all her empty dried up cups behind and she is following the path uphill beside the stream of fresh cool water. She is searching for the its source, which holds the promise of healing,  intuition and Love

It just struck me this figure is climbing yesterdays mountain!

Six of Cups and Mountain - Tarot and Lenormand playing together

For today I have drawn two cards from two different systems and both cards have been made by the same artist: Ciro Marchetti. From the Legacy of the Divine Tarot I’ve got the Six of Cups and from the Gilded Reverie Lenormand I've pulled the mountain.

First I drew the tarot card to represent the overall feeling/energy of the day;

This cards depicts a girl lying in the grass and she is recalling some good times when she was playing with her friend. It is very easy for me to identify with this girl. Life used to be so easy. There were less difficult choices to make. Of course it wasn't always sunshine and roses  but at least my husband was there to stand beside me. And nowadays it is just me who has to make all the decisions. But I am very glad  I can cherish a lot of good and loving memories. So why does this card affect me more than usual?

For a modification of this tarot card I drew Mountain. This card is about blockages, difficulties and frustration. When we are confronted with our mountain it is only natural we are inclined to look back to the green meadows of the past and to imagine them greener than they really were. How tempting it might be to idolize and dwell in these pastures, it is better to get your backpack and lace up your shoes and start climbing the mountain.

It is obvious how the Lenormand card emphasizes for me the danger of living in the past and can be seen as an encouragement to face my problems. I think any other Lenormand card would have highlighted a different aspect of The Six of Cups. The Tarot card represents for me the psychological side of the matter and the Lenormand card the more mundane and active side. Although Tarot and Lenormand are  two different systems, I think they can work very well together

Ps. don’t get me wrong; There is nothing as comforting as a stroll down memory lane J

Seven of Pentacles - the Strength of Patience

For today another card of this summery deck. It is the Seven of Pentacles which relates in its own way to the Strength card of two days ago. I’ve written about  patience being also a form of strength. When we look at this woman we see how closely she is connected to the fruit bearing tree. The guidebook calls her a dryad, so we witness a sort of symbiosis. While she touches and examines the lowest and most ripened fruit, it is in turn touching her arm. They both know on a deep level what is best for this moment: To pick or not to pick. The dryad knows if the time has come, when the fruit is ripe enough for the harvest. She has to wait and restrain her appetite for this delicious fruit just a bit longer because she knows how much more she will enjoy it if she can be patient. She has respect for the trees natural processes. Meanwhile she can enjoy her leisure time and think…

“I pause a moment and enjoy the fruits of my labors. I think about how things have gone, and how I might make better choices in the future. I have learned some valuable lessons from my work thus far. I shall consider trying new approaches where the ones I have used did not serve me as well as I had hoped. For now, I must decide whether I have set a good course, and should continue as I have, or whether I should change direction, if even just a little bit.”(Leila Vey)

So often we try to hasten a process in order to be ready and to start the next project. But how would it be if we stepped back and let things evolve, unfold and ripen by themselves at their own pace. That  attitude is asking a lot of strength and patience and most of all trust in life and the Universe. We have to have enough trust to let go of our need of control and expect that life will give us the best pick in the end.

 “Patience is not passive; on the contrary, it is active; it is concentrated strength” E. G. Bulwer-Lytton

Gilded Reverie Lenormand - a Three Card Spread

Yesterday I was inspired by Olivia from First EarthTarot  to pick up my Lennies again and give them the attention this lovely system deserves.  Although it contains “only” 36 cards, it is a comprehensive study which  requires a lot of dedication and practice. It is almost as if I would say English isn't that difficult; you write it with just 26 letters.

So back to the cards. I am still in the stage of reading three card lines, So let's see what this line has to say about my renewed acquaintance with the Lennies:

Bouquet + Stars+ Ship

1.       Pleasure is found in following your dream

2.       The gift of an inspirational journey

3.       A longing for putting my talent in motion

When I read these cards they give me the distinct feeling I should give this system a fair change, explore it’s usage for me and see  this study as an adventurous journey.  I will be open minded and find out if I can re-establish a connection to these cards. Furthermore I will try not to be scared off by the blunt language of the Lennies.  Maybe it's similar to not being fearful anymore for the Death card and the Ten of Swords.J

If you have any additional thoughts about these three cards, please leave a comment. 

Strength – Don’t smother your Lion

Shadowscapes Tarot

Today is a gorgeous Spring day to air out my Shadowscapes Tarot by Stephanie Pui-Mun Law. It has been hidden in the back of my tarot drawer for most part of Fall and Winter but now it is time to renew our relationship. The first card I've got after such a long time is Strength. I like this depiction of strength very much. It shows us there are different kinds of strength.  For instance you have the strength of the bamboo, which is flexible and strong and can bend without breaking and there is the strength of an oak tree, which can grow from such a tiny acorn into the king of trees. There is the strength of a swan mother protecting her young and the strength in a lions roar and last but not least there is the strength of this slender female which can silence the lion with the gentle touch of her hand.

Strength also is reminding us of being compassionate and patient  and temper our primal fires by soft control. The cats represent the domesticated wild cat. But beware don’t smother the fire of your lion entirely, because you may need this force sooner than you think. Be a wild woman and embrace your power like the lady in this card.

The High Priestess - You don’t have to know all the answers

Crystal Visions Tarot

This is a card I seldom pull from a deck and now  I've got it twice shortly after each other. It is my Embrace card for this lunation which encourages me to focus on listening to my inner voice.  (Listen is a my word for this year.) And to be honest I am having a hard time with it. Lately it is difficult to silence my inner dialogues which contain mostly worries, negative self talk and bottled up irritation.

What stood out the most in this .of The High Priestess, is the fact she is surrounded by butterflies and none of them are touching her . The guidebook tells me the butterflies are a symbol of transformation but to me, today, they are representing every fluttering thought which crosses my mind during the day and sadly sometimes at the night too

So what is her secret? Why is she able to keep them at bay?

For a new perspective on this card,  I picked up one of my tarot books.  For today I choose “Tarot 101” by Kim Huggens.  (One of my favorites on this subject). And there I found an eye-opening sentence: “The High Priestess is the silence of true wisdom and the ability to truly listen to others and the world around, instead of trying to think of an answer”

Especially the last part of the sentence was enlightening: I don’t have to know the answers! I just have to listen; to others as well as to myself.  My inner dialogues are always tempting me get involved and to come up with solutions for (non) existing problems and when I do so, the merry go round keeps on turning, because none of my answers are ever good enough.  But what if I didn't fell in that trap over and over again. I don’t have to know the answers and maintain control. Sometimes things will just have to unfold by themselves and I will observe, listen and only act when needed. And again it all comes down to living in the present moment  and to be mindful.

Seven of cups - Where do we go from here?

Druidcraft Tarot

My card from today is the seven of cups from The Druidcraft Tarot.. We see an man daydreaming, reflecting and possible not knowing what to do with himself. He is sheltered by the surrounding rocks. It is a calm secluded and safe place to ponder about the question: What’s next?What do I want? In the pool we see six cups immersed in the water and next to the man there is a beautiful cup but he doesn't know it is standing there or he doesn't care or appreciate the golden filled cup. To me this man seems be withdrawn, confused and unsure what to do. He has closed his eyes and doesn't see the any of the cups. Perhaps he is overwhelmed, paralyzed  by all these choices and is taking a time out. Until he is able to make a decision, this is a  good place to rest and make up his mind before he can go on the spiritual quest of the eight of wands Because he has to be sure which cups to leave behind and which to pursue.   

“The problem, simply put, is that we cannot choose everything simultaneously. So we live in danger of becoming paralyzed by indecision, terrified that every choice might be the wrong choice.” 

― Elizabeth Gilbert,

Nine of air – Please be quiet!

My daily draw is the Nine of Air from the Angel Tarot. Instead of an anxious woman in her bed with nine swords hanging above her head, we see a clearing in the forest were eight unicorns are sleeping while one isn't able to do so. I wonder what thoughts could trouble a Unicorn?

I am glad I've chosen this deck because  its nine of air is less scary and hopeless then the R.W based decks’ nine of sword cards. This card is very timely for me for lately I worry a lot more than usual. Whenever I´m doing nothing and try to relax, the voices are starting to mumble and if I cannot shut them up they get louder and louder. Sometimes reading a book  isn't even possible. I would be so grateful for some peace of mind and to be able to finish a book. Blogging is working quite nice just as watching a movie. But I don’t want to spend my entire day behind a screen. I know the best remedy is to stay busy, but sometimes I wish it stopped so I could sit in my garden close my eyes and enjoy the warmth of the sun. How can I ever learn to listen to my inner (intuitive) voice when the screamers don’t shut up!
“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere” Erma Bombeck

Another spread for Self Love

A few weeks ago I've posted a spread for self love for Valentine´s day. Yesterday I've discovered a great website called "Little Red tarot". There I saw a post with another “awesome” Self love spread for this Holiday. But hé, self love is for every day of the year and since I adore this little three/four card spread so much, I wanted to post it here. So (drum roll)…. Here it is:

“The ‘Me Myself and I, aka Why I Am Totally AwesomeTarot Spread”

1. What’s totally awesome about me is…

2. My favorite thing about myself is…
3. I am brilliant because…

And if that hasn't sorted you out, go right ahead and pull one more card:

4. One reason it doesn't matter if I have one lover, three partners or no sweetie at all is…  

I guess this is the Valentine’s day position, so for now I like to call this extra card: the loving/caring action for myself right now

It is in the nature of this spread to read it in a quick, positive and intuitive way. Just see it as a pat on the back whenever you need it.

So let’s give it a try:

 

Crystal Visions Tarot

 1 What’s totally awesome about me is…

Five of wands – I have a lot of creative ideas running around my mind: I just have to pick one…

2 My favorite thing about myself is…

Strength – I am  a compassionate , strong woman

3 I am brilliant because….

Five of Pentacles – Even in times of need I always take care of my family

4 How can I love myself right now?

Ace of Wands - I will pick one creative inspired idea and  I will  go do it!

I highly recommend this spread because it feels só good! The cards give you compliments you would not have thought of yourself. Even this reading with two fives has been so delightful

The Delicate Fairy and her Ferret - Change is natural

Today’s daily draw is coming from the Oracle of the Shapeshifters and is called: The Delicate Fairy and her Ferret. The caption says: Change is natural, good – and yes, it can hurt!

The inevitability of change is a subject many tarot and oracle readers write about. Every deck has at least a few cards which represent change in some form. Whether it be sudden, gradual, disastrous or cyclic, they all include change as a major aspect of our lives.

This fairy too is telling us to be always alert to change. Nothing stays the same and although change is scary and sometimes painful most of the time it is bringing us gifts which are definitely worth the effort . The problem is we never know in advance what change will bring us so we are afraid to leave our comfort zone.

The Delicate Fairy and her Ferret acknowledge the pain and the fear but also encourages us to go forward and try not to evade change. At least she has a wonderful little friend to back her up.

Ferrets are cunning, covertly, skillful, clever, playful and inquisitive animals and therefore are excellent spirit guides for times of change. Jasmine Becket has paired up as much as three fairies with these animals in her deck

Jasmine Becket: “Having spent a lot of time with family ferrets, I can concur that they seem to be of the same magical & mischievous vein that the fairy folk are. Just imagine how much trouble they’d get into if they could fly!!!!”

When everything is going our way,  we have the illusion everything is okay and we are in control. We don’t want to know if change is about to happen. That’s what is making us anxious; we worry about what if....

Personally I don’t like change at all. Change is something I still fear. Only afterwards I embrace the changes in my life completely because they have brought me to this point ,to this place where I am now. Even the hurtful and the very sad changes. You should think I've learned something from those experiences…….and have gained some more trust in life.

The Queen of Pentacles - Don’t forget to listen to your body

Restored Order Tarot

Today I wanted to ask a question while pulling my daily tarot card. I wanted advice on how to proceed with listening to my inner voice. Of course I do have some ideas but I was curious what the cards could add to my thoughts about this subject.

I drew the Queen of Pentacles from the Restored Order Tarot. Now don’t get me wrong I love this queen but she wasn't at all what I had expected. After all the blue in my previous post this was a lot a green and yellow. (By the way I love this rendition of the Queen of Pentacles. It is so much more clear and peaceful than the R.W.version)

At second thought it isn't that strange at all I've got this card. This queen is all about the physical and material world. She encourages us to take care of our domestic life but also to nurture ourselves. To find pleasure in the sensual aspects of life. In food, perfume, creme and lotions, exercise, clean sheets, sunshine etc. Too often when we seek spiritual development we are inclined to forget to look after and cherish our body. Yet it is our body which can tell us perfectly how we feel and what we need if we are willing to listen; to be mindful : a stiff muscle, a smile, a sigh, a tingle etc. When you are extra perceptive to those tiny physical signs you can learn all lot about yourself. Today this card will encourage me to pamper myself and to embrace my sensuality.

New moon in March

Yesterday I've celebrated the new moon. After visualizing  my circle, I chanted to Durga and Lakshmi. After that, I sat down to meditate for a while,  trying to focus only on my breath, which is still so difficult. I wish I could turn down the volume of my inner chatter.

As usual I drew two cards from my Osho Zen Tarot. Both of them are mainly blue and both of them depict two dolphins. At first I didn't understand the Release card, Ten of Water (Ten of Cups), and it really puzzled me until M. gave me her point a view.

Osho Zen Tarot

Release: Ten of Water – Harmony

Why should anyone want to release such a beautiful state of mind. This is what the guidebook says:

"The experience of resting in the heart in meditation is not something that can be grasped or forced. It comes naturally, as we grow more and more in tune with the rhythms of our own inner silences. The figure on this card reflects the sweetness and delicacy of this experience. The dolphins that emerge from the heart and make an arc towards the third eye reflect the playfulness and intelligence that comes when we are able to connect with the heart and move into the world from there.”

I thought perhaps this card is telling me to let go of trying too hard to be successful in meditating and in bringing that state of mind into my daily life. But M said and with it she worded my first reaction to this card, it was more about letting go of trying to keep everybody happy without listening to my own needs (or inner voice J) Perhaps both options were equally valid but I feel the last is more urgent to let go.

Embrace: Inner Voice

The second card is more clear to me. It is the equivalent of the High Priestess in other Tarot decks which is all about intuition, the unconscious and wisdom.

"The Inner Voice speaks not in words but in the wordless language of the heart. It is like an oracle who only speaks the truth. If it had a face, it would be like the face at the center of this card--alert, watchful, and able to accept both the dark and the light, symbolized by the two hands holding the crystal. The Inner Voice can also be playful, as it dives deep into the emotions and emerges again to soar towards the sky, like two dolphins dancing in the waters of life."

My inner voice has been ignored too often and for too long. Even when reading my own cards,  M had to confirm my first intuitive interpretation (which wasn't all by the book), was right for me that day. I appear to be more confident than I really am.  Listening to my inner voice is something I will be glad to focus on for the coming lunar period. It seems so easy but I think the most difficult part is when you are finally able to hear that soft voice within, is to acknowledge what it is telling you. It might be a truth you don’t want to hear….

“At the center of your being you have the answer; you know who you are and you know what you want” Lao Tzu

Bee (Beach) - Strength in numbers

Druid Animal Oracle

For today I've drawn a good card for the weekend from the Druid Animal Oracle: Bee. Its keywords are community, celebration and organization.

“The card shows a queen bee resting on a stone. In the background we see the House of Mead Circling at Tara as it may have looked at the height of its powers. In the sky the noonday sun shines brightly and we see Ur, heather, growing by the rock which is carved with the Ur Ogham.

Beach invites us to celebrate. You may have a special reason for celebration, or you may simply need to celebrate the wonder and mystery of being alive.”

The bee teaches us we can live together in harmony as long as we uphold some kind of structure in our family and society. Each of us has a place in it which comes with its own responsibilities. But there is also time to celebrate. That is why we have “invented” the weekend. We gather together, enjoy our company and loosen up a bit; feeling fulfilled about our achievements of the past week. 

This weekend S. her boyfriend is coming to stay with us. Dental stress has faded. The weather is fine. Lots of reasons to feel good and celebrate. But it is also a reminder that I can delegate some of the work and I don’t have to do everything myself.