New moon in April

Instead of drawing some cards for this new moon, I have decided to choose them intentionally so they would represent what I want to accomplish during this coming lunation.
I choose the Four of Swords and the Princess of Cups from the Druidcraft Tarot.

The fours of Swords represents my intention to quiet down my always busy mind. At first, I thought it could be a good idea to start meditating daily again but knowing myself, I realized this would be very hard to accomplish. I think it would be better for me if I could choose from various options: meditating, riding my bike. sitting with Jofee on my lap, taking a walk, playing with watercolors... etc. anything which would calm my racing thoughts goes.
The Princess of Cups represents my state of being when I will succeed in this; even if it is only for a second or two. She is connected to her heart, the place where feelings whisper and true wisdom comes from. She is totally willing to hear and listen to the messages of her heart. The flow of these messages is a constant in her life because she has no problem to tune into them. I don't expect to be like the Princess of Cups in four weeks but I am willing to commit to this practice and to see where it will lead me.

The Hermit – Coming home to yourself

For today I’ve received The Hermit from the Spirit within Tarot by Steven Bright.  Actually, I received it quite literally because it jumped out of the deck while I was shuffling. This deck seems to know me already quite well because it keeps giving me the cards I love the most.

The Hermit is one of the cards where we see the silhouette in the far distance which gives the card a very spacious feel. The Hermit is sitting on the top of a mountain. He carries no lantern but the light of the full moon is all he needs right now.

I identify with the Hermit on a very deep level. He is my guide and my shadow, so I feel he will be my teacher for a very long time.

Since I have been cutting down on my screen time you would think there would a lot of spare time for me to spend in Hermit mode but it is more complicated than it appears to be. Some restless, always need to be busy, part of me is frantically searching for other ways to occupy my mind. O my, how resourceful we are when it comes to undermining ourselves. Luckily for me, I have uncovered this “devious” plan so I am one step ahead of myself again. One thing I did manage was to pick up my meditation practice again which I am so grateful for. Each time I meditate it feels like coming home to myself.

Peace –Bathing in Sunlight

My card for today is Peace- dissolving unwanted or disturbing thoughts from the Gaia Oracle by Toni Salerno.

Here we see a radiant sun, painted in mostly orange and yellow with a touch of green symbolizing the illuminated Earth. This warmth, this light is so precious to the soul.  No wonder the Sun has been a symbol for Divinity since a long as we can remember.

The Sun itself is the center of everything, while its rays burn away our worries and outdated obstructing thought patterns. This card invites us to take the time to find our own center and reconnect with our spiritual sun, our Divine spark. The most commonly used practice to do this is also the most difficult to maintain.  And yet it is through mediation we can learn to let go and stop clinging to our thoughts as if they are the only thing that really matters. When we will let our thoughts go like clouds in the wind, the sun will come out again and will start shining bright.

Literally: Finally Summer is here! The sun is shining so brightly today and I am going to enjoy it while it lasts

Storyteller is giving me back my dreams

Yesterday I drew the Four of Scrolls, just as the day before, as a reminder to try to stop worrying about things I cannot change. Since I had drawn this card already for my Solitary Tarot Challenge I pulled another card with the question how to accomplish this and I got the Storyteller, The Hermit of the Chrysalis Tarot. 

She is a wise old crone, a healer and a shapeshifter. She announces the need for introspection. In a previous post about The Storyteller, I've mentioned her ability to tell you the stories you need to hear, to share truth, wisdom and healing through ancient tales. But she is also a gatherer of stories; our stories. She asks you to confide in her, to tell her our worries, secrets and desires. When we are invited to share our story, our dreams, we have to turn inward to find them. By giving them words and thoughts they can be elevated to our consciousness.

I've been thinking/fretting a lot about  pursuing my dreams and goals lately, somehow afraid I had forgotten all about them but this morning I realized I haven’t been doing so bad at all. When I was meditating I found myself lying down on a bed of withered leaves from last autumn. I felt  weary of life and just wanted to sleep when an old crone passed by and stopped to sit down beside me leaning against a big old tree. She asked me to tell her what a was wrong and to share my dreams with her and when I did,  I realized that all the dreams of my youth had come true one way or the other. Life has way of adjusting and disguising them but in their core they were still my dreams. We only need to look more closely. Before she left she swept aside some of the leaves with her hand and there was a tiny green sprout from a very brave Crocus  All and all it really  was an empowering meditative journey.

Later this morning I pulled my card for the day and I got the Ravens (the Magician) These Ravens are called Hugin and Munin and they are Odin’s ravens. They are playing with pearls which stand for synchronicity. They live in the upper branches of the Tree of Life and today I cannot help but wonder if they have overheard me talking to the Storyteller and came to confirm I can trust my own instincts to make things happen according to my intention and my dreams.

P.S. did  I already tell you I adore this deck???? J

King of Cups – Listening to the deep waters

For today I've drawn the King of Cups from the Mary El Tarot.  For me he is the master healer, the empath, He feels deeply without drowning in his own or other’s emotional tidal waves.

In the picture we see our king floating in the water between blue lotus flowers. He is holding his scepter, signifying he is Poseidon the God of the Ocean.

The king of Cups is master over the deep realm of our unconsciousness, of dreams and imagination.

It seems like there is not much going on in this depiction but although the surface may look calm and peaceful, we never can quite  grasp what is lurking in the undercurrent. Al we can do is trying to be still and listen,  like this king is doing

I've picked up  my meditation practice (Four days in a row J) This will help me to be still and listen to what is going on in the deep waters of my soul.  I do hope I can keep it up and try to see it as a gift to myself instead of a chore. 

"Whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. What is soft is strong." —Lao Tzu.

Three of Spirals - Contemplation

All in all, yesterday was a good day. I've managed to  keep my emotions out of the equation and we had a sociable get together.  My husband was pleasantly surprised with the leek pie and the cake was eaten to the last crumb. Today is a day of rest and recovery of the emotional roller coaster which I've been riding for the last couple of days.

My card for today is the Three of Spirals from the Chrysalis Tarot by Tony brooks and Holly Sierra. Again a fitting card for me. Look at how the head of the Buddha statue is held by the tree. It looks as if it's been there for such a long time. The three has folded himself around it over the years. This card is about slowing down and contemplating your next move. Really assessing where you are and where you want to go next. It is time to ask yourself: What do I really want?

For me this card also symbolizes that, in order to become one with everything around you, you have to lose yourself (ego) first. This can be so scary at times because you have to let go of the illusion of control. I begin to experience this little by little while meditating. Only fractions of moments I feel utterly free of self and connected to everything around me, only to get pulled back again in me. But this tugging and pulling is of such gentle kindness that is also teaching me not blame myself for “failure” and except what is.