Painting intuitively with watercolors

In this post I would like to share how to make an intuitive painting with watercolors. For me it is a very relaxed way to paint because you have very little influence on the final result. The  technique  I’ve used is called: wet in wet. This means that you paint with wet paint on wet paper. The paint washes over the paper and is going its own way. You can of course guide it, but you can’t paint detailed shapes.

I have made this painting in three stages:

I've dripped and pressed the paint on the paper and moved the drawing board back and forth so that the paint could find its own way. This time I've even turned it around because it made me think of a forest.

      After the painting had dried fully, I've  put another layer of paint over it. But now I was looking more consciously for shapes and lines. This can be compared with the interpretation of a tarot card; I search for images and meaning in my painting that are waiting to be highlighted. My “forest” could use some branches and trunks.


 In the final stage I picked up my pencils and added a few touches in my painting

I want to stress, this way of painting is not about the end result but more about the process, It looks to me a lot like meditation. You are completely present in the moment. Is relaxes me and gets me in a flow. I always find myself humming while I’m painting like this, so it will surely do me some good. Perhaps you like to try it for you self some time. J

Clearing my altar

A few days ago I’ve written some  thoughts about the Seven of bows – Clearance from the Wildwood tarot. Especially about how hard it is to clear away the old for something unknown to take its place. That’s just plain scary. This has lead up to my decision to clear my altar. Over time is has been gathering more and more symbols, and all sorts of clutter and its very representable for my own spiritual confusion and uncertainties

My cleared altar

 So yesterday afternoon I took a basket and put everything that was on my altar in it.

Then I put a white clothe over it to represent a new beginning.  The most important is the candle in the chalice which represents the Divine and the cards. For now these are: “Wide open” From The Enchanted Map Oracle and “Wolf - Instincts” from The Earth Magic Oracle. I’ve picked them face up. Some crystals and shells to represent my openness for change and last, but certainly not least my skeleton key for opening doors.

Perhaps over time I will add something but only if I feel  I really have to. It is so strange and unfamiliar in my room but I am glad  I've done it. This altar gives me a sense of space and peace which is very soothing for now

The Three blessings

Yesterday I've tried two Thanksgiving spreads, I found on other blogs, but although they appealed to me very much, neither of them gave me much clarity. Or perhaps I wasn’t feeling the Thanksgiving vibe. So I gave one of my own  more familiar spreads a try. This one is called  “The three blessings”. (Still a bit in the same spirit). I have found it somewhere online, a long time ago.

It’s a three card spread, which are my most favorite spreads: Short, fast and decisive. Enough to tell an elaborate story or to see in one glance what the core of the issue is. Mostly I just pull three cards and read them as they present themselves. I like to read cards very intuitively, with a book nearby for fresh input. J

With this spread the positions  do have a set meaning: 1 my hope – 2 my inspiration -3 my guidance

The three blessings spread - Crystal Visions tarot

I've pulled :

1 My hope -Ace of Cups: I hope to receive love on various levels. And I hope to able to share love as well. But most of all I hope to feel loved by the Divine because somehow I’m not feeling that connected lately. I hope to become more receptive. Like a vessel…..

2 My inspiration – Queen of wands: I am going to rekindle my creative embers with the energy of this queen. I am already more inspired but still  it’s difficult to get passed my inner censors

3 My guidance  - The Moon: I can trust my intuition to do, say and feel the right thing. So guided by my higher self and my instincts I want to explore the shady territory of my insecure mind. I know I don’t have to be afraid in my own darkness.

Today I am going to strip down my altar to the bare necessities.( a little bit scary) Gradually it has accumulated a lot of stuff and I want to start over. Everything I’ll put there has to have a special meaning to me right now. And the followings days I will slowly figure out if I need any additions . Perhaps in a week my altar is just the way it was. Who knows J

I need Strength to be still

Crystal Visions Tarot

Today’s card is Strength from The Crystal Visions Tarot. I have to admit that I am neglecting my other Tarot decks a bit which is understandable but a pity because they each have their own charm, emphasis and tone. How I've longed to possess this deck and now it’s lying in my drawer waiting to be heard. 

So back to Strength. I have written about this card several times already. Not feeling that strong lately so perhaps it is a kick in the butt to step up. But generally I don’t get that feeling with this card so let’s have a closer look at it:

It looks like it’s evening and a woman and her lion are resting on a mountain top, surprisingly grown with sunflowers. The woman is cupping the lions chin. Two eagles are soaring in the reddening sky.

This card encourages me to tap in to my inner strength, willpower and determination, but at the same time to do this with kindness and compassion for myself. What does this mean for today. I want to look at the bright side of things (sunflowers) and although my neck and shoulders are hindering me more than else today, I don’t want to give in to self pity but at the same time I don’t want to be too strict with myself. I will definitely meditate today (skipped it for two days in a row.) Why do you have to have so much strength to just sit and be quiet????? I can sense a connection between this card and The Singer of Courage which I've drawn a few days ago. A sort of reminder? This card is giving me also a feeling of rest or pause. While in the RW version the woman is actively controlling the lion, here they seem to be two of a kind.  I will end this rambling post with a beautiful quote from the Tarot of the Timeless Truth by Leila Vey

“I teach you that the greatest strength is strength of spirit, and that all challenges are conquered if they are met with tolerance, forgiveness, forbearance and compassion.”

So and now off to do some meditating J

Rest - Take a nap!

Magical Mermaids & Dolphins Oracle

After my reading from yesterday, I have been feeling rather tired (mentally). These decks can stir up very deep emotions and this can be rather draining. So for today I've chosen a  deck with a more lighthearted feel: The Magical Mermaids and Dolphins Oracle by Doreen Virtue; And I've got: REST! How cool is that!  The meaning is obvious: just find a soft place to rest and sleep or do some relaxing activities which don’t ask for deep emotional commitment

Perhaps my Lennies have something to contribute; mice + book + cross.

Lo Scarabeo Lenormand

Instantly I read this as my energy being nibbled away through writing about spiritual stuff J

Perhaps biased, but fun and I am not going to spend any more time considering all the other things they could mean. Perhaps tonight…

For now I have already done my groceries, cleaned up my house (a little bit) and now I’m going to take a long shower and afterwards pamper myself with coffee, chocolates (yes again J) and “Inferno” from Dan Brown. (great book)

Give me courage to clear the old

Lately I am particularly drawn to the Wildwood Tarot and The Faeries Oracle. In readings for myself I just mix them up and they blend perfectly. Just as today: My daily draw was the Seven of Bows – Clearance. This card is a good reminder of letting go projects, idea’s and habits, which are not longer of any use or help for me. This will make room for new endeavors and practices. Clearing the old will release energy that was clung to my dusted, worn and stale convictions. But hey, knowing this is a healthy thing to do, doesn’t ‘t mean it’s easy. What’s more comforting than a pair of worn slippers with holes and torn stitches. Let’s face it we love familiar habits and idea’s. They give us the illusion we are in control and everything is alright. But deep down you know it’s not. Something is wriggling inside and it wants to have space to grow.

So I picked up my Faeries’ Oracle and asked: Who is willing to  help me with clearing the old? I shuffled and drew : The Singer of Courage! In this deck the singers are compared to angels. They are pure energy and are radiating their qualities throughout the Universe (One Song) with their own tune. They can be seen as our guides in this world. So this means I have to open up to receive courage and at the same time to be willing to find courage in myself.

Anyhow, it’s obvious I can’t have it all: and my comforting, old, time and energy consuming habits and exploring my creativity, wanting to meditate and exercise more…and the list goes on. Again for me this was an insightful reading with my two favorite decks

Rainbow - Count your blessings and your strengths

Earth Magic Oracle Cards

My card for today comes from the Earth Magic Oracle Cards and is called: Rainbow – Blessings. This is a “sigh card” for me. It gives me a sense of calm because its message is a gentle one. This card it all about counting your blessings. Something I am inclined to forget when I need it the most; in times of trouble. It’s so easy to be grateful when everything is going your way. But when storms are raging through my life, I have to admit I don’t write in my gratitude journal. J

“The storm has passed, and it is time to enjoy the refreshing beauty of this cycle, even though it has been difficult to appreciate any sense of purposefulness in what you have endured lately. You can now, as they say, count your blessings. Do not just look at the “brighter side” adhering to some academic mantra that has no heart or depth, but do so slowly and with genuine gratitude that is expressed up close and personal.”

For me this is certainly true. I am happy to say, things are settling down again.

Today I want to focus on gratitude with a slight deviation.

 I've recently read a beautiful post from Kelley Ann (The four Queens): “connecting with your personal power”. Among others she gives us the advice to make a list of “our strengths and attributes. Where have you shown them? When did you put them into action? As you search your life for traces of your qualities and abilities, you'll find them hidden in long forgotten corners and in places you never even thought to look. When you see them, stop for a moment and acknowledge them, appreciate them and vow to pay attention to them in future.”

Since I'm rather forgetful, I think it will be an empowering  experience to make such a list. And I'm certain this will make me so grateful for everything I've achieved in my life and at the same time it will make me so proud of myself. Perhaps it is especially affirming to write about this before the stressful events around the holidays so you will know your own strengths and be able to recollect those memories when you need them the most.