Archive for May, 2018

Challenge, eh? Well, let’s stay grounded to meet whatever challenges come our way! Personally, the biggest challenge I will have today isn’t interpersonal but meeting a deadline while packing for a trip. LOL

FYI, after today, I will only post the card on this blog’s Facebook page while I’m on vacation. Have a great weekend!

 

TWO OF STONES – CHALLENGE

MEANING: Female hares box for domination and territorial rights to breed. After drawing on your grounded energy to reach self-empowerment, a position may be challenged or a struggle for control initiated by others. Learning to deal with rivalry or adversity in a dispassionate manner is a practical skill that can be used to advantage.

DESCRIPTION: Two low, worn stones stand side by side at the edge of the trees. On each one stands a hare. They are boxing furiously. Ripples of energy flow out from them as if their power and force were manifesting.

READING POINTS: Many challenges or rivalries are born of insecurity and subconscious issues with peers and colleagues. Usually, it is these emotions rather than actual malice or personal ill-will that dictates a rival’s mistrust or understanding of your efforts. In the modern material world, where so much emphasis is placed on a show of power or wealth, it is often a perceived position or status that enflames jealousy, rather than the reality of a situation. Holding your own ground
and defending your position at such times can be achieved by keeping in touch with pure and positive motivations and holding on to a personal integrity and sincerity, which is the basis for any fair and enduring material reward or advancement. Some competition and honest differences of opinion can be productive and even beneficial. Remain clear and focused on your objectives and stay firm in your ethical efforts to proceed with a plan or project.

The Wildwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, art by Will Worthington

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Well, it’s been a little hectic again, but here we are today with a card promising magical moments if you look to nature. I hope this brings some joy and wonder to your day. 🙂

FYI, I will be on vacation heading to New Orleans from Friday to Tuesday. I will take a deck, but posting may again be sporadic. If anyone has some suggestions for NO, let me know. We do have the Voodoo Museum and graveyard tour planned as well as the Aquarium, but we’d love to hear what you think is awesome in the city.

Blessings! Thistle

NATURE SPIRITS

Meaning: Joy, delight, peaks of carefree abandon. Living wildly, magically, and free. Be open to the wonders of the universe flooding into your life. Innocence and delight are abounding. Happiness is on its way!

Native spirit wisdom: Almost every indigenous culture recounts stories of fairies, often called little people, and nature spirits. Although some of the fairies act in protection of their wild lands and should be treated with care and respect, most often they bring blessings and light to all in the room. If this Nature Spirits card chooses you, then welcome to a wellspring of joy and magic. Beneath the surface, mystical interventions are occurring in your life. Relax. All is well.

The Journey: Even taking a few moments of stillness in the natural world can help you attune to the world of the little people and nature spirits. If you see a small flash of light or a movement of a leaf on the windless day, these are often signs of the wee folk are near.

Native Spirit Oracle by Denise Linn, art by Charles McStravick

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Trying to control every outcome can be exhausting and unfruitful – this card suggests it’s time to relax a bit and let the process unfold as intended. Trust in what you’ve done and let the Universe do its thing. Blessings and Happy Friday!

Mama Quilla – Mandala of the Moon

I, the Lunar Mother, bring you my Mandala of the Moon to manifest through the law of magnetic attraction. My mandala is the sacred portal through which your dreams, intentions, and visions shall pass into the wholeness of being, from the realm of inspiration into the world of form on earth. There is no need for doubt or concern, for even the appearance of delay signifies that the divine feminine mystery is at work, with timing unfolding according to a higher, loving wisdom. Trust that which is falling away is meant to be, while you have faith in new divine works being born.

Meaning: This oracle brings a sign that creative works will reach fulfillment. Relax with trust and positive expectations that all your needs will be met. This makes it easier for abundance to flow and all earthly and spiritual matters to fall into place according to a great and loving higher intelligence. Things are changing, even if you cannot see the physical evidence of this as yet. Trust that your actions are leading you into a better way of life. Rely on the Universe, and you shall see how all things come together according to a timing and a higher order that suits you, in ways even better than you could have imagined by yourself.

Earth Warriors Oracle by Alana Fairchild, art by Isabel Brynna

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This one certainly speaks to me, especially as my family is preparing to journey to New Orleans in a week. While we will undoubtedly do some touristy things, we are also looking forward to visiting the Voodoo Museum and experiencing the lively culture of the city and surrounding areas. I’ve been to NO on two occasions, but both were for conferences and time for experiencing the city was limited. Wherever we choose to go, from hiking in the Ozarks to seeing the sites of a big city, we expand our awareness of others and The Land.

Anyone else feeling called to travel a bit and experience something new to shake up your senses and redefine your sense of The Land?

Blessings!

Horse (Gaelic: Each) – The Goddess, The Land, Travel

The card shows a gray mare with the chalk hill figure of the White Horse of Uffington, Oxfordshire, in the background. In the foreground, we see mare’s peas (bog-bean) and horsetail growing, and, to the left, horse-shoe vetch. Carved on one rock is the symbol of a key, and on the other a mounted warrior. The sun is prominent in the sky above.

Meaning: The spirit of Horse call us to journey, to travel. This may manifest itself as a desire to travel in the physical world, or we may be drawn to voyaging in the inner realms. She brings us energy and speed and connects us to the power of both the land and the sun. the horse-goddess is patroness of the complete life-cycle of birth, death, the afterlife, and rebirth. By working with the spirit of Each, we will grow to feel comfortable with every aspect of the life cycle, knowing that the goddess protect and guides us through each of its stages.

Horse could also be asking us to look at the roots of our restlessness. If we have difficulty settling down, staying in one place or completing tasks, it may be that we have not fully accepted the flow of the life-cycle and our part within it. Attuning to the spirit of the horse may help us to connect with our sense of place in the world – with the spirit of the land beneath us and the sky above us.

The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by the fantastic Will Worthington

 

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Today’s card always makes me smile – the Wren is one of my spirit guides. This king of birds here reminds us that we are bigger and more powerful than we think. FYI, the Cow was also strong today, and it represents nourishment, motherhood, and the Goddess.

Wren (Drui-en): Humility, Cunning, God

The card shows a wren holding a feather in its beak, as it guards its nest filled with eggs. Tradition calls the wren’s nest the “Druid’s House.” A bolt of lighting represents Taranis, the bull-god of thunder and lightning, the oak tree, and the wren. The Ogham sign in the stone is of Duir, the oak.

Meaning: Wren allows us to glimpse the beauty of God or Goddess in all things. He tells us that “small is beautiful,” and that self-realization lies not in grandiosity or apparent power, but in humility, gentleness, and subtlety. Cunning, if tempered with humor and good intent, is a way of achieving great things with an economy of effort, and a rational and honest use of the achievements of others.

On the flip side, this card could mean that you need to look at whether your humility and gentleness actually render you invisible to others. Are they your way of defending yourself from life and from others, rather than facing life and its difficulties? Perhaps you also need to look at how you use your cunning, your native wit. It is easy for the habit of building on the work of others to become dishonest exploitation of others’ achievements, just as it is easy for the cunning to become malign rather than benign. Remember that the story of the wren and the eagle can also be interpreted in a way that sees the wren as a cheeky and dishonest “upstart” who naively believes he can fool others and win status for himself through his ruse. Cleverness and building on the work of others require wisdom and honest skill if they are to be of value.

The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by the fabulous Will Worthington

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OK, so maybe I took more than two days off, however, a week is more than enough. I sometimes get a little funky around Mother’s Day, but it was a beautiful day and it looks to be a productive week.

Hope your Monday has a fruitful beginning as this card suggests it might!

Blessings, Thistle

 

Two of Vessels – Attraction

Meaning: The initial attraction and exploration of potential. The beginning of a possible relationship or friendship and the precursor to an interchange of polaric energies. Opposition and attraction in life.

Reading Points: The first shared spark of attraction between two human beings can appear simple and uncomplicated on the surface, but the underlying psychological chemistry and the subtle interplay that ignites that magical first exchange is usually complex and eclectic. As human beings, we absorb millions of subliminal signals and messages from those around us, and we unconsciously process these stimuli and react to them every second of every day. We subconsciously absorb body language, scent, and nonverbal communication and react to them emotionally with impulses and decision-making instincts developed over millennia.

Taking an instantaneous dislike to someone is governed by the same set of prehistory sensory drives developed by humans when we roamed freely across the African savannah; “love at first sight” is as valid today as it was then. Our perceptions and signals are shared, acknowledged and reciprocated, breaking through the protective barriers and forming the initial polaric bond that is the foundation of deep and lasting attraction.

Description: Two anthropomorphic figures, a horse-headed female and a stag-headed male, face each other with one hand raised and one lowered. Their arms form a diamond shape, and in the center is an enflamed heart. From their two lowered hands flow streams of water, falling into two cups that sit upon a low hill beneath them.

The Wildwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, art by Will Worthington

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What a gorgeous card with a powerful message. Happy Saturday, folks!

Medicine Horse: Progress on the Path

I am Medicine Horse, bringing you the message of freedom, journey, and progress. Do not act as though you are a beast of burden. Claim your innate divine dignity. Allow yourself to feel and be graceful. Recognize and honor your need for rest, openness, safety, and respect. An ability to hear, know, and feel spiritual truth, which will guide you in every aspect of your life journey, is opening up. Connect with your spirit. Live your truth. 

Meaning: There is a powerful and sacred bond between your soul and the animal kingdom. If you have a beloved animal who has left this world for the spirit world, here is a message that this beautiful being is protected by Great Spirit and ill loved and peaceful now. That creature is completely forgiven and completely forgiving.

You are also guided to honor the inner knowing that flows naturally from your instincts and intuition. As you respect your inner guiding widsom, your life experience will improve. You will successfully navigate your way around negativity. healing, spirit communication, and loving repair of the sense of self after any type of abuse is indicated. There is spiritual support and assistance for a journey ahead that will take you far. Progress is being made.

Spiritual Guidance: Medicine Horse bring healing gifts for the mind, body, and soul. Horse is healer. This oracle indicates that a time of significant healing is at hand. Sometimes the most powerful healing at soul level happens subtly. It may involve emotional catharsis and dramatic psychological “aha!” moments, but it often happens almost invisibly, without us realizing how much our inner work is reshaping us from within. Eventually, we experience the fruits of our inner journey. Our interpretation of past experiences changes, empowering us to leave behind old points of view, former identities, and negative expectations for the future. We begin to feel the lightness and promise of our spirit. We discover and delight in our own divine beauty. We have made progress and a new horizon opens up.

Horse medicine also brings a special type of healing through two particular equine traits: authentic connection and heightened sensitivity. Many types of emotional damage to human beings can be healed through the experience of these two principles of Horse wisdom. It is the task of a spiritually aware and skillful counsellor—be that human or a horse— to mirror back one’s emotional experience with authenticity, presence, honesty, and acceptance in a way that build a sense of real connection to another living being. Horse medicine is the soul medicine of trust—trust in oneself, trust in relationship, trust in our bodies, intuitions, instincts and in life itself. To guide us and provide us with what we need.

When Medicine Horse comes to you, there is a deepening in your aliveness, a release of automatic reactivity and defensiveness, and an ability to be increasingly alive, authentic, and real. You will believe more and more that the Universe has your back and has blessed you with the resources that you need not only to survive but also to thrive. You will also understand that you do not need to take this journey alone.

Horse doesn’t want to be held back in any way, and its appearance is a sign of progress being made in our physical, worldly pursuits—and especially in the inner process of soul healing. Horse medicine is helpful for cultivating a loving and respectful relationship with the body, rather than trying to dominate it with mind. It can help us in undoing patterns of abuse and learning to trust in bodily instincts and wisdom. It is also especially helpful medicine for developing a constructive attitude toward fear. Horse helps us acknowledge all our emotions, including fear, and contain them so that we feel heard, without censorship, yet also safe and held. We can then channel the vital energy of our emotions into conscious choices that allow for progress, vitality, and engagement with the world.

Earth Warriors Oracle by Alana Fairchild, art by Isabel Brynna

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This one is a long read but worth it. The mothering quality, no matter if it’s from a man or woman, is important for society’s overall health. There are those who twist it for their own ends, so we need to be cognizant of what we do to others in the name of mothering as well as the mothering energies we receive. Blessings!

The Bright Mother – Creativity, Nurturing, Productivity, Intimacy, and Sheltering

She is the Bright Mother of us all and knows that life—all life—is a miracle. The Bright Mother is constantly amazed at its perfection-in-imperfection. She rejoices in its being, sorrows for its growing pains, and exults in its success. This great lady is both Earthmother and the full, bright Moon, pregnant with the future of all growing things. She feeds us and provides us with air, water, and shelter in an amazing, complex world. She sees to it that we are challenged enough to grow but not so much as to be overwhelmed. If we want more challenges than she provides, we have to give them to ourselves.

The Bright Mother is the guardian of family life, and she creates and holds a nurturing environment for us all. She is the garden where vegetables, fruits, and herbs grow. Thus, she sees and holds the mysteries in ordinary processes of daily life—the bees making honey, the cream turning to butter, the birth of the baby and its growth, the blossom turning to fruit, and the wheat ripening. This lady has loving patience for natural processes, however slow.

Reading: When the Bright Mother is present in a reading, she speaks of a time of fertility, creativity, and nurturing of ourselves or of others. She might indicate marriage or the birth of a child or a deepening of any kind of relationship. She also speaks of giving one’s all to life, not holding back. She is like a cornucopia, pouring forth abundance. This may be a time to put the news of others first, taking care of yourself later. Patience may be needed for the process being discussed.

Consider what you have. Acknowledge the people and things in your life—good, bad, and indifferent. This consideration is not to judge, approve, or reject, but merely to recognize what is present in your life. These are your present fulfillment, the things you have created for yourself, drawing upon the power of Unity and the Singers (or not, as the case may be). Once you have looked clearly at what is present in your life,  you may want to ask yourself what you want to change.

This card may also mean that these ideas apply to men as well as women. They can even apply to institutions such as churches, governments, charities, and social groups.

When we are blocking the Bright Mother’s energy in our lives, we have difficulty giving or receiving nurturing. This may manifest itself physically as well as emotionally. It could mean physical problems such as digestive or eating disorders, or emotional difficulties with giving care or receiving care from others. We may also be unclear about our emotional boundaries.

When her energy is twisted, we see the “smother mother” who refuses to let those within her care grow up and become independent, crippling them in their adult life. Or perhaps the warped energy becomes the “martyr mother” who “sacrifices everything for you” (whether you want it or not) and then expects you to sacrifice everything for her forever. If we find in ourselves tendencies to do these things, we need to change both our habits and our deep programming, which may require professional help.

At worst, the Bright Mother’s energy becomes a fire of destruction, creating burnout where there should be nurturing. This happens when we give until we are exhausted and don’t take time to nurture ourselves or allow others to do so. Rage or cruelty directed at those who rightfully depend upon us also falls into this extreme category.

The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud and Jessica MacBeth

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We saw this card back in December, when it was a site for sore eyes after a stressful year. It seems there’s still a lot going on in the world to cause friction and disorder, so let The Restorers’ message remind us to unplug and take time out to remember what’s important. Blessings!

A Druid healer depicted in The Restorers card of the Druid Plant Oracle.

The Restorers: Roseroot, St. John’s Wort & Valerian

Retreat, balance, or calm. On the other side, imbalance, anxiety, or disturbance

THE CARD: The Restorers are a trio of ancient and indigenous plants of the Druid sourcelands, which act to restore the balance between body and soul, healing the heart and mind with their calming and strengthening powers. The card shows a Druid healer in her bothy, sitting beside the fire. Through the open door, we see the Scottish Highlands. Roseroot and Valerian hand drying in bunches from the rafters, and freshly gathered St. John’s Wort lies on the table.

MEANING: Although adventure and excitement are necessary ingredients in life, we also need periods of peace and calm: oases in our busy lives. Drawing this card in a reading may mean that you should create such a time for yourself now. Retreats are an important part of spiritual practice, and in Druidry these can include visiting the old sacred sites and walking the old tracks. But wherever you are, you can take a retreat. Even if you are busy, see if you can withdraw from your schedule for three hours, during which time no one disturbs you and you treat yourself to whatever will help you find calm. Better still is a longer retreat – three days or more – in a setting close to Nature. By taking such a break, you give your body and soul a chance to catch up with each other add to find balance once more.

This card may also indicate that you or someone you know are out of balance and feel disturbed and anxious. Life is often puzzling, and relationship are so difficult that it is no wonder so many people suffer from anxiety and depression. Now may be the time to tackle this imbalance with a combination of counseling, herbal medicine, and lifestyle changes.

Alternatively, the card may indicate that a situation or project is unstable or completely unrealistic, and that a good dose of common sense is required to get it back on track. It may be time to hire a consultant or simply get someone to look at the problem objectively and give advice.

The Druid Plant Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by Will Worthington

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Yesterday, those of us in the Northern hemisphere celebrated Beltaine, a time to honor the Earth’s full renewal after the dark rest of winter. I can see no more perfect time than now for this card. Go forward into the blossoming of spring and summer with your own renewal and be your fulfilled and best self. Call to mind the sacred waters to help cleanse your spirit of these burdens. Blessings!

Wash Away Your Burdens

As you have move through life, you have undoubtedly experienced moments that have inspired feelings of regret, remorse, shame, and guilt. You have made promises you have not been able to keep. You have judged and blamed yourself and others. You have burdened yourself with feelings born of acts that cannot be undone, which still bind you to the past. It is time to forgive. It is time to lie down in the healing waters and let them wash away your burdens so you can move forward with spirit cleansed.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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