Archive for June, 2018

Card of the Day: The Underworld

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 30, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Perhaps it’s the icky heat and humidity of southeast Kansas making me desire fall, but I felt drawn to the Halloween Oracle today. The card drawn, of course, was no sweet Barmbrack card but The Underworld. It seems pertinent to the current state of the world. What changes, trials, or transformations are you facing or undergoing? Pause, take a breath, and head down your true course.

Blessings!

THE UNDERWORLD
Where all things pause and begin again

Another realm, shadow filled
Travel from death’s bed
Where we stop and transform
Within the realm of the dead

The idea of the “underworld,” a whole realm that we go to after we die, is a concept that crosses a huge variety of cultures and eras. The Sumerians, the Turkish, the Incas, the Greeks through to the Siberians, the Maori and the Kymers – all had a distinct word for the underworld. What is different though is how these cultures treat this concept – whether the underworld is seen as a place of rest and rejuvenation or horror and punishment.

The Christian hell is a place of darkness, fire, and punishment. The Egyptian underworld is one of judgment, peace, and renewal. In Maori culture, it is an in-between place of waiting, wisdom, and transition. Many myths that mention the underworld often involve the concept of a place of waiting and of trials and eventual judgment. It can also be a place of joy and peace.

Should the Underworld card be present in your reading, you are being asked to consider exactly what you have to do to transform your life into something you find easier or more authentic to you. This may involve changing course. It may involve trials and tests. Keep moving. Whilst things may fall away and your life may appear bare for a time, this is temporary. Space is being made into which you can create the new.

The Halloween Oracle by Stacey Demarco, art by Jimmy Manton

 

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Card of the Day – Queen of Bows (Hare)

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 29, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Apologies for missing the last two days – my day job became a little all-consuming. 😉

This card is definitely a supportive card, so perhaps this is the time to take that step, have that discussion, or do whatever you’ve been hesitating to do. The Queen has your back.

Blessings!

QUEEN OF BOWS – HARE

MEANING: Hares have been linked to the spring (eostre, the Saxon hare goddess) and sexuality since Celtic times, when it was considered taboo to kill them. Prolific breeders, they represent fertility and potential. The Hare is also famous for the “boxing” ritual that takes place during March.

READING POINTS: A companion through life, sympathetic and understanding, leading you to a deeper awareness of what is needed to bring success to your every enterprise. Wise and witty, gentle and kindly, the Queen supports you and strengthens your resolve.

TRACKS & PATHWAYS: Kindness and responsibility; an offering of peace and love; helpfulness, courtesy, and understanding; enchantment; and success in business

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

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Card of the Day: Guenevere at the Stake (8 of Swords)

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 26, 2018| Leave a Comment »

What a roller coaster week! Yesterday, we thought we were going to be losing our yin and yang kitties: an outdoor black cat named Tommy and my indoor white lovey Gabriel. Tommy had been missing for almost a week and we had just come to the idea that he wouldn’t be back. Gabriel, who is 18 and being treated for renal failure, was acting in a way that made me think it was almost time to let her go. Well, so much for thinking.

This morning, Tommy shows up for breakfast, looking thin and a bit straggly. And Gabriel seems to have perked up quite a bit today. Just goes to show you that sometimes your beliefs and worries get in the way of reality.

Today, I chose the Legend Tarot and was a bit shocked to get the lineup of ladies that we did. With Igraine, Guenevere, and the Lady of the Lake getting our attention, we can bet that though Arthur’s Queen is shown bound here, we have Justice and a sound representative in Igraine at the ready. Look for your helpers or for a way to stand up for yourself and bring justice to your own situation.

Blessings!

Thistle

Eight of Swords – Guenevere at the Stake

Meaning: Feeling b round and trapped. Being held at a disadvantage. Inability to free one’s self from a difficult situation. Having to rely on the judgement of others. Slander, domination, calamity, or regret. Personal effort and courage are needed to take advantage of a. temporary route of escape. Approaching the end of adversity.

Also, senseless tragedy, frustration, ceaseless pressure, or depression. Treachery and betrayal. Unintentionally hurting loved ones. Continuing conflict.

The Card: Golden chains bind the High Queen to her doom.

For the man years that Lancelot and Guenevere were lovers, Arthur had done his best to overlook the affair. Despite the hurt and humiliation, he continued to love his queen and his best friend. Though rumors had circulated there was no proof of adultery, but Mordred set about to change this. By bringing the affair out in the open for all to see, Mordred put the kind in a desperate position. The new religion did not allow the Queen to take lovers, and to do so was considered an offense to the king. Being that Guenevere was the wife of the High King, her betrayal was considered an act of high treason – punishable by death.

Though Arthur did all he could to stall the sentence, Mordred led the people in howls of disgust, demanding that Arthur fulfill his obligation as king. Guinevere was damned to burn at the state.

As the fateful moment arrived and the queen was bound to the stake, Lancelot and his band rushed upon the scene and frantically hacked their way to the queen. Lancelot succeeded in rescuing his beloved and carried her to safety. Guenevere’s life had been saved, but with tragic results. In his frenzy, Lancelot had killed many of his friends, including the much-loved Gareth. The formidable Gawain sought his former friend to avenge the death of his brothers. With this tragedy, blood feuds erupted and split the Fellowship of the Round Table.

Legend: The Arthurian Tarot by Anne-Marie Ferguson

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Card of the Day: Share Your Thoughts

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 25, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Hmmm, sounds like an appropriate card to kick off a week. Sharing your inner thoughts and dreams may seem like approaching a big, scary dragon, but what if that dragon likes what you say? What dream have you been keeping to yourself? What has kept you from sharing it? Maybe now is the time to announce it – help or information to assist you may be waiting. You never know. 😉

Share your thoughts

You have hopes, dreams, goals, and ideas. Do not guard your ideas jealously nor keep them locked up for fear that another may steal them or offer ridicule instead of support. It is time to share your vision. Tell Great Spirit and Gaia of your dreams and hopes so they may send you what you need. Speak of your dreams to others. Connect with those who share your goals and hopes for they may be able to help you realize your dreams sooner.

The Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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Card of the Day: The Stag

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 24, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Posting a bit late today, but is was a rainy and cooler morning so we lazed about a bit and then took the dogs for a good walk. Hope you all are enjoying the day!

In regard to the card, it is interesting that this card speaks to the justice that the planet brings with or without our input when the other strong card today as Two of Arrows – Injustice. Guess I’ll be thinking on that later.

THE STAG

MEANING: The concepts of forgiveness and reward are not appropriate here. They are human ideas which have no reality in natural lore. One reaps what one has sown. Just as right or generous action brings fulfillment and peace, green and vengeful desire bring bitter loneliness and disillusion. Balance will be maintained by the planet’s ecosystem. The justice it dispenses is long lasting, and it is both merciful and irrevocable in its final conclusions.

We are guests of the Earth, not its masters. And, like ill-mannered children at a banquet offered freely by a generous and forgiving host, we have behaved badly and are in danger of spoiling the gathering for everyone else. Our thoughtless greed and selfishness have seriously disturbed the ecosystem. The fine balance and interdependent connection between nature and humans is pivotal; if the balance is disturbed by any inappropriate or thoughtless action there will surely be a natural reaction and the balance will have to be reset.

On an individual level, this may involve haunting guilt over a wrong action or subconscious feeling of bitterness because of an unfair situation. It signifies the karmic wheel of justice that rules our basic concepts of right and wrong, and the inescapable faith that justice will always be done.

On a global level, it may mean that the thoughtless rape of the rainforest will one day severely affect the weather patterns, and the polluted seas will one day produce poisoned fish that will be inedible. One day, in the not too distant future, our host, the Earth, may have no option but to give notice that the pendulum of justice has swung away from us and we will no longer be welcome at the banquet.

DESCRIPTION: The Stag, forest kin and guardian, half human and half animal and verdant with greenery, looks out from the card with a steady and calm gaze. He holds a polished hafted axe and shield. His horns reach into the sky and are mirrored in the branches of the tree, before which he stands as a reminder of our cosmic connection to the universe and its manifestation in all organic life on the planet. The polished axe head is a manifestation of the human will to change the environment – and not always for the better, so a weighing up of action and responsibility is necessary. The shield, which bears the image of the symbolic Major Oak, reminds us that we must preserve and protect our natural resources.

READING POINTS: On a personal level, some kind of adjustment or interaction has taken place. The keyword here is responsibility. We must, as individuals, constantly observe the rules and regulations of society, and these can fluctuate as the views and knowledge of civilization change. Whether on a political or moral level, we subconsciously know when a realignment of our perceptions is due. This is a time to welcome the justice that has arrived with the coming spring and the fire of creation. Face the coming season with honesty and integrity and trust to right and appropriate action.

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

 

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Card of the Day: Himself

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , , , on June 22, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Last night, we honored the longest day (here in the Northern Hemisphere) by sprucing up our altar for the season and toasting it with blackberry wine. (OK, we also watched A Midsummer Night’s Dream, but I do love it!) It was a beautiful day here that we started with a walk. I explored the yard a bit too, checking on plants and munching some purslane. I hope you all found a way to enjoy the Solstice as well.

Now to today’s card.

Many times, it is easy to focus overly much on the feminine power and divine – a natural reaction for many of us who were only exposed to masculine power and divine growing up. Let us not forget the importance of balance and of the masculine energies in our world.

Blessings!

Himself – Natural Law, Life Force, Magic, Shamanic Power

Known as Himself, this Sidhe is guardian of both the hunter and the hunted – and finds no conflict in that because he understands the many necessary balances of nature. The living bond between all life, Himself is the breath that moves, the atom that dances, his magic is in pure being – living, loving. He has the magic of procreation, of dancing the spark of life into being. His presence brings magic and life into a world where it is shaped and given form by Earthmother. He dances as the Bright Mother gives us birth, powering us into the world. He is the Great Father. 

Meaning: When Himself appears in a card spread, he not only indicates that a great amount of energy is present in the reading, but he also strongly energizes the faery cards around him. Everything he touches becomes more of whatever it is – more alive, more vigorous, more powerful, more awesome, or more awful. This card in a reading can indicate great vitality, victory, or triumph, confidence, and power. There is a leadership, an ability to command, steadfastness, and integrity – wild power help and channeled for the good of all by will.

Himself speaks of protection, either of the querent or of someone the querent owes protection to, like a child or an elder. Acceptance of paternal responsibility is important, as are deep and committed relationships. He is the preserver of the natural world and its balances.

Shamanic power may be indicated here, as well as a potential for powerful spiritual healing. This card may also speak of erotic energy, passion, and potent creativity.

Alternatively, when the energy of Himself is being blocked, we feel limp, enervated, drained. There may also be depression, either physical or emotional. Energy may be locked into obsessions or may swing from blocked to out of control.

Twisted, the life force, strength and/or authority may be being misused as arrogant aggressiveness or violence toward others. When this card is reversed in a reading, careful and prayerful consideration needs to given to how the energy can be rechanneled into its naturally creative and protective mode.

At worst, this potent energy becomes a force for war, oppression, and domination. The very worst is when brutality or twisted sexuality is turned on the very persons this energy within us should be protecting. As in all the Sidhe powers, what has great potential for good can also have great potential for destruction. Volcanic release may occur.

The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud and ?? Macbeth

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Card of the Day: Faeries of the Future

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , , , on June 21, 2018| 2 Comments »

Blessed Midsummer to you all (and Midwinter to those in the Southern Hemisphere)! Here in our area, we started the day with a walk on this gorgeous morning, spotting squirrels, a possum, a rabbit, and a Killdeer along the way. May your day be bright with possibilities and your night be magical. Blessings!

– Thistle

Faeries of the Future – Be Here NOW, Guidance, Moving Forward 

Meaning: Brian Froud writes: “These are the faeries of a bright future and are essential companions on any journey. When these faeries appear, it’s time to consider where we have been and where we wish to go.” There are many opportunities, many potentials, but we must choose a path and then take realistic, practical steps to bring the desired future into being. This is not a time to wait for things to come to us, but to step forward boldly to meet them. We may do this alone, if we wish, or in the company of those who share our goals and dreams.

This card may also question whether you are certain you are going in the direction that you wish to go – or are you following someone else’s lead without being clear about your own direction? It may be that you need to consider a parting of the ways if the goals of others do not match yours or if they seem to be headed in a direction that is not right for you. This is the moment to pause and consider your direction. Think where you like to be and who you would like to be a quarter of a century from now. Ask yourself if the steps you are considering now are apt to take you closer to that goal or farther from it. Ask the wise Gnome King to point a clear direction for you.

The Card: The Gnome of Now at the top of the card looks both ways simultaneously, something that would give a human a crick in the brain if he tried. However, the gnome has no particular problem with this, as faeries always have a sliding sense of past, present, and future. Anna, in the center, steps boldly forth, pregnant with possibilities and carrying the hazelnut that grants wisdom. Puggi, above her, crouches ready to take off and rush ahead just as soon as she is sure what direction they are going, while the frog above her waits, just to see what will happen. Amalatheia, on the left, hesitates momentarily, not sure she is dressed properly or has her hair done right for the occasion. Nearly everyone looks to the future with cheerful optimism.

For all of Anna’s bold stepping forward, if you look close you see that she has her eyes on the wise Gnome King at the lower left. He seems sure of the way to go. He is relying on his gut sense to guide him, knowing that this is his magic and it will serve him better than logic in the unknown future. Being a gnome, a son of earth, he is well grounded in reality, which is what it takes to have trustworthy gut feelings. Anna, being wise or at least very nearly so, trusts him in this. Of course, she hasn’t considered that where he wants to go may not be where she would most like to be. Fortunately, he has considered that and is pointing her in the right direction.

Both humans and faeries are constantly adventuring into the future, being carried there by Old Father Time and Earth Mother, acting hand in hand. Even the galaxies spin into the future, creating strange effects and relationship between time and space and light. He who hesitates doesn’t get lost – he gets dragged along, bumping bracingly behind the rest. He might as well get up and hustle along too – it’s ever so much nicer a way to travel.

These faeries are on an exciting journey to co-create the future with the universe, just as we are. They greet each rising swan and each rising moon with unconditional and expectant gratitude. Join them.

The Faeries Oracle by Brian Fround and Jessica Macbeth

 

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Card of the Day: The Master Maker

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , , , on June 20, 2018| Leave a Comment »

With Midsummer at our door, we have officially entered the time of the Fae. As such, I will be drawing from Froud’s The Faeries Oracle for a few days in their honor (though I might add that some bread, honey, and cream are appreciated as well). May your Midsummer Eve be blessed and fanciful!

The Master Maker: Skill, Craftsmanship, Magician, Moral Strength, Invention 

Meaning: Do whatever you can do as well as you can. And then make it even better. The Master Maker reminds us that our very best work is always desirable, and in the present situation, it is necessary for success. In fact, he asks that we surpass our previous best. Don’t cut corners and don’t take the easy way. Whether making a thing or fulfilling a concept, be sure the design is elegant, pure, and functional, and then follow it, attending to every detail in its turn. He says, “Design behind your skill, and then raise the level of your skill to fulfill it.” Give and accept only the best, and do it with love of your craft, whatever the craft may be.

The card speaks of long-lasting achievement, creative problem solving, and confident action. It may suggest cooperation with others, especially from a position of responsibility or of teaching one’s craft to others. Success comes from practical application of traditional principles in life and in work.

The Card: The Master Maker is the master of the forge, u pone which we create our future and forge our own souls. He sees the world beyond the Otherworld, the world of first causes. Through his magic, he brings them into his own world of Faery. From his world, these concepts trickle down into our own, through dreams and visions picked up by artists and craftsmen everywhere. But he makes the first, the original. He is the great inventor, and the sign above his door reads: Practical Problems Solved Here.

He sings as he works and, as in all faery magic, his song does as much to shape objects as do the the blows of his hammer. Healing cups, magic swords, faery jewels, crowns of Starrs, and other respelled works of the finest craftsmanship pass through his forge and beneath his hammer. The master of fire, air, earth, and water, he adds the faery element of moonlight to everything he creates. He would be the first to tell you that superb craftsmanship, however magical, is hard work – joyful and energizing hard work, but always challenging. As the Master Maker reminds us, “No job is too small to do beautifully.” HIs work is done as well as possible, even where it will never be seen by anyone else.

Bringing ideas into excellently crafted reality can only be done when we, like the Master Maker, are willing to plan meticulously, begin carefully, and persevere through difficulties, learning still more of our craft as we work. Craftsmanship is also a labor of love. We must be willing to tackle difficult challenges and have determination to surpass previous achievements. Patience is always required as is the willingness to do a thing again and again until it is even better than the best one can do. The Master Maker has the moral strength to refuse the temptation to do anything less, and he is a protector and teacher of the radiation values of his craft. Yet, in balance to all this, the Master reminds us that we also need to learn our own limits – not everyone can do everything superbly. When we discover our talents and choose our craft, then we gain great joy and fulfillment from developing that skill into an art.

We grow more like the Master Maker each time we do the best we can – then stretch ourselves to do a littler better than that.

The Faeries Oracle by Brian Froud and Jessica McBeth

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Card of the Day: Meadowsweet

Posted in daily card reading, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on June 19, 2018| Leave a Comment »

For those of us who follow a Welsh-influenced spiritual tradition, this plant is meaningful. Who remembers which goddess figure from the Mabinogion is made of three blooms, including that of Meadowsweet (plus Oak and Broom)? Blodeuwedd, AKA Flower Face. Her tale may seem grim and unflattering, but look deeper. Is she betraying Lleu? Or is she honoring herself and her own sovereignty?

Also note that Meadowsweet was used to help create aspirin by the Bayer company and that it has been used as an anti-inflammatory, for upset stomachs, colds, and heartburn. It was also the popular strewing herb at weddings as well as in homes.

Blessings!

Druid Plant Oracle Meadowsweet.jpg

Meadowsweet – Transition, Blessing, Celebration (also Transience, The Familiar, Routine)

Meaning: Traces of Meadowsweet, Heather, and Royal Fern have been found on Neolithic drinking vessels in Scotland – leading archeologists to speculate that these plants were used to brew ale. Later, Meadowsweet was used marriage celebrations. This card may indicate that a time of celebration or transition is due. Meadowsweet’s creamy flowers and summery smell are a reminder that change is one of the greatest features of being alive in this world, and the best way to accept change is to celebrate it. Whether you are leaving job, relationship, or familiar surroundings or are joining forces with colleagues or a partner, this is a time to truly celebrate the change that is occurring – offering flowers to the God or Goddess and accepting the transformations this transition will bring.

The card may also be urging you to formally mark and celebrate a transition or major event in your life, or that of your family, that you’ve been tempted to ignore, such as moving or leaving home, reaching puberty, succeeding in a creative project, achieving a significant age, separating, or divorcing.

This card could also refer to the need to slow down and acknowledge change. In the old times, change was considered significant and was often celebrated or marked ritually. Today we are so used to change that we barely give it a thought – we change cars and computers, houses, partners and jobs – with a speed that would have amazed our ancestors. Although our potential for learning and freedom has expanded, we have suffered as a result. Hurtling furiously toward the future, we have forgotten how to live in the moment and how to enjoy both change and the stability that comes from the familiar.

Choosing this card may indicate that it is time to celebrate the familiar and to take time to enjoy the contstants in your life that don’t often change. Routine and sameness can be stultifying, but they can also provide the ground through which you can deepen your character and soul.

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

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Card of the Day: Kanyini – In Each Other We Find Ourselves

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 18, 2018| 1 Comment »

This card speaks a message that I’ve been sensing in recent weeks. Time for us all to step beyond our past wounds and take a step in fulfilling our life’s work. Blessings!

Kanyini – In Each Other We Find Ourselves

There is a spiritual purpose that only you can fulfill. As you move forward on your journey, you create space for others to move along behind you, and as the ones ahead of you move forward, so too does room open up for your expansion. Upon this earth we are all building the sacred temple, each fulfilling our tasks as we assist and support each other in our collective divine mission. How can you help with your heart most actively engaged? What can you offer that inspires and energizes you so much that others are uplifted in your presence? How can you receive from others joyfully, bringing them pleasure? Engage in giving and receiving deeply and with devotion. Your wisdom and openness to life generates healing for our Earth.

Meaning: Healing is indicated, especially of wounds about connection and trust, safety and tribe, belonging and permission to be a unique individual. At a physical level, more vitality is indicated, and ample energy for healing. At a spiritual level, a deepening awareness of unified consciousness is opening up within you that will bring you into deeper divine communion and increase your effectiveness as a healing presence and sacred activist in this world. You have a destiny to fulfill, and there will be much help from many different people to fulfill it. The Universe wants you to succeed. Do not hesitate to ask and receive assistance, for your fulfillment of your own mission helps others.

Earth Warriors Oracle by Alana Fairchild, are by Isabel Brynne

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