Parting the Mists

I will be taking the weekend off from posting a daily card to focus on writing some other blog posts, so consider today’s post as the weekend post. 🙂

The entire spread this morning bodes well for our weekend. We have the Queen of Vessels (Salmon), suggesting sacrifice and wisdom as well as joy and addressing difficult issues. She is joined by the Six and Eight of bows, representing Abundance and Hearthfire. Hearthfire was the strongest, so I’m thinking our day and weekend should be based in the comfort and harmony, with aspects of the other two cards.

Blessings!

EIGHT OF BOWS – HEARTHFIRE

MEANING: A hearthfire gives warmth and light in the deep midwinter. Warmth of life, love, and friendship are shared generously. There is a sincere desire for celebration, security, and harmony shared with companions and kindred spirits. This also leads to the attainment of innermost peace and the feelings of personal well-being and achievement.

READING POINTS: Hope leads to the attainment of innermost dreams, desires, and security, fueling your soul with belief in yourself, your values, and natural justice. To commune with a close fellowship of friends and family, tested and loyal to a common moral code, belief, or way of life, brings a blessing. A gathering of friends and family around a place of common emotional significance, symbolism and safety is a powerful experience. It acknowledges the shared consciousness of the human spirt and the bonding experiences that evolve and grow with comrades and family, whether blood relatives or those that life has randomly thrown together. We celebrate the fact that we endure, survive, thrive and grow with the support and companionship of our chosen tribe. It is a time to be thankful and to express and receive love. It is also an emotional state of being that says, “I revere the fire that forged these relationships and I give thanks for the love that endures through life.”

DESCRIPTION: On the edge of a sparse, winter forest camp, lit with the warm, dancing flames of a large log fire, we see eight figures gathered around a roaring hearthfire. The merry band raise goblets, shake hands and laugh, bathing in the shared bond of fellowship and harmony created by the true loyalty of lifelong friends.

The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington

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Many of us (especially many of those that follow this blog) have bitten our tongues in order to get along with others or to not be rejected because of what we are. And while there is being polite, not speaking your true thoughts and feelings just reaffirms other people’s narrow views. We are more than job, religion, political party, or sexual orientation – we are a soul that deserves it’s time and attention. Take a chance – there are often more people around with which to sing in harmony than we realize.

Blessings and happy Thursday!

Canary Spirit – Sing Your Own Song

Message: Canary Spirit arrive to help you find your authentic voice and express what is in your heart. Free yourself to experience your inner light and let it shine, as Canary Spirit sings to remind you of your inherent joy and to support you as you sing your own song. Now is the time to let the world know who you really are. Canary Spirit’s message is that you are free to be yourself and express your most cherished desires. The world wants to hear your song! If your inquiry is about a relationship, you’re being called to fully be yourself, for only then will you find harmony and joy. You can make music with others so beautifully when your note rings true.

Protection Message: Are you suppressing your true voice, perhaps trying to sing the song you think people want to hear instead of your own? You create a cage around your life when you express only what you think will help you fit in and get what you think you want. Are you hiding the real you, telling a safe story about yourself to others because you are afraid they will think that you are too “different” if you they knew the truth?

Canary comes to help you express yourself in a more honest and authentic way. Yes, not everyone will agree with you; in fact, not everyone will want to hear your originality or accept your uniqueness. You must not give this a single care. There will be plenty of people, opportunities, and wonderful new experiences that arrive as if by magic once you open your own cage door and fly free. Canary Spirit is cheering for you and wants you to know you are safe and loved. Find your voice and have courage to spread your wings and sing out loud! The world needs your true song.

Spirit Animal Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid and Jenna DellaGrottaglia

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Action without consideration can occasionally turn out good, but generally it’s more helpful to consider options and focus your action to get where you want to be. Blessings!

Focus, and Then Act

There is something you want or need to make manifest, but to make your dreams a reality you must focus your will upon that desire and do what needs to be done. Prayer alone will not give you that what you desire. There are things that you must do in order to have your hopes realized. Now is not the time for stillness or passivity. Now is the time to focus your will, thoughts, and emotions, and to get up and take the necessary steps.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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For many of us, Mondays aren’t our favorite. So perhaps this card is reminding us to try to embrace it with a little playfulness and a positive mindset. Or perhaps you need a break from routine, regardless of the day of the week. Is someone being silly? Perhaps you should join in instead of rolling your eyes or going about your business.

Otter is one of my spirit guides, reminding me to not be too serious and to enjoy life. May she remind you of that too. Blessings!

Otter (Dobhran)- Joy, play, and helpfulness

Meaning: Otter invites us to play, to go with the flow of life and experience – to become a child again. Allow yourself the freedom and pleasure of relaxing and letting go of all your daily concerns. Otter could be prompting you to take a day or a weekend out of your usual routine to do something purely for fun. Your practical side may tell you that you cannot afford the time, but deep down you know that you need to care for yourself to be a real value to others.

Someone may even be coming into your life who will show you how to play again – something you may have forgotten as you excepted the responsibilities of growing up. Otter shows us that being playful can lead us to catch the salmon – the fish prized by the druids as the totem of wisdom. Drawing this card also confirms to us the sense that we are truly protected.

This card can also suggest that you may be “pushing the river “– going against the natural course of events, perhaps out of fear or stubbornness. Try letting go, relaxing, and trusting in life. Although Otter urges us to be playful, we must be aware of becoming the play boy or girl who uses play as an escape from the demands and responsibilities of adulthood.

Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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This is a potent card, though it looks calm and soothing. It indicates beginnings or endings, depending on how it fits you (or is drawn reversed in a traditional reading). So which is it for you?

This quote especially spoke to me: “Just as a plant or animal produces far more seeds than will every mature into a new being, so we as humans produce far more ideas than can ever be realized.” Picking what to focus on is incredibly hard as there is so much potential in each of us. Perhaps we need to slow down, take a moment, and figure out where is best to put our energy.

Blessings and Happy Sunday!

Fir Club Moss – Initiation, Beginnings, Power (also Letting Go, Ending)

Meaning: Size isn’t everything. If you have chosen this card, it may mean that something apparently small, and even insignificant, has entered your life, which may prove to be very powerful. Although it is a very small plant, Fir Club Moss is descended from the giants of the primeval forest that now supply our coal. The power and warmth that coal can bring is echoed in the way that moss can be used to start a fire in the wild. Choosing this card augurs well if you are starting a new project or relationship. Never be dismayed at humble beginnings – with patience, something that begins small or locally can grow to limits unimagined at the outset. The same principles hold true for spiritual initiation – taking the first step on a path may not necessarily give you dramatic mystical experiences at the outset, but in the beginning lies great power, and in time you may well look back and realize how much your life has changed because of this one, seemingly small act.

It is also possible that this card indicates that you are finally starting to see clearly. Until now your understanding or perspective on a situation has been impaired, perhaps through lack of emotional distance. But now its as if a veil has been drawn aside and an unmistakable clarity has emerged.

Flip Side Meaning: Fir Club Moss was traditionally used as an abortifacient. If you have chosen this card, it is possible that you should consider aborting a project before you incur any further outlay of time, energy, or money, or that this process has already occurred. Just as a plant or animal produces far more seeds than will every mature into a new being, so we as humans produce far more ideas than can ever be realized. It can be tough letting go of an idea or project but it is a necessary part of life. We can still grieve for what is not to be, even as we accept the advisability or inevitability of the event.

It is always important to gain an insight into a card’s potential meaning by considering the context of the reading and the card’s position in a spread. In certain situations, this card reversed may indicate that caution must be exercised at this moment to prevent the premature conclusion of an issue or project. In its early days a project needs nurturing, and too much exposure to criticism can be detrimental.

Druid Plant Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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I wasn’t that familiar with this bird, but it sounds like it knows how to be silly and have fun. It’s Friday, so for many of us this is perfect timing. Enjoy your day and your weekend, fellow goofballs!

Blessings,

Sandpiper – Be Playful

Message: Sandpipers are like cute little clowns, poking their beaks into the sand before darting off to chase the waves. The appearance of Sandpiper Spirit is a sign that now is a time to engage your playfulness. Whatever tasks you have before you, perform them with a lightness of being. Explore the familiar, discovering the new in the old. Who knows what treasure awaits you when you let yourself laugh and have fun? Sandpiper Spirit’s happy and curious nature can help you to feel rejuvenated as you remember your ability to run and fly and dance playfully.

Protection Message: When your heart is heavy and life seems to weigh you down, Sandpiper Spirit’s message is to lighten your burden by finding joy and humor in the everyday. Become like a playful child, filled with curiosity and wonder, and soon you will find that you feel your own spirit lift. A few minutes or hours of fun-filled delight is exactly what you need now. Enjoy the ridiculousness of life and be willing to jump in. Let your inner goof out to express itself with abandon.

Spirit Animal Oracle by author Colette Baron-Reid and artist Jenna DellaGrottaglia

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Yesterday was the Spring Equinox for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Before we get busy with the activities of spring, perhaps we should ensure that we got proper rest and recuperation during the winter. Winter weather, though folks like to complain about it, is key to getting us to slow down and rest. Yet, this season (in our area, at least) had some nasty viruses that really wore people down. Do you need an extra rest before taking on spring and summer? Be kind to yourself.

Blessings!

Marshmallow: Sickness and Health

Keywords: Physical fitness, health and wellness, illness, medicines and treatments, cures and therapies, healing, physical, and psychological, doctoring in nursing, becoming sick – or well after a period of sickness

Meaning: Granville’s engraving of Marshmallow shows the flower herself ministering to the needs of an invalid frog. She is assisted by another elderly marshmallow. There are bottles and jugs in the background and in the foreground a concerned insect looks on. Grandville clearly knew of marshmallow’s medicinal uses. Though the image is of a sick animal, we see clearly that he is in a warm bed and being cared for. If you draw this card, remember that this is not, ultimately, a negative image. No one likes being ill, but this scene shows the frog being well looked after. This card may not point to a clinical illness at all – it could indicate a general malaise or a world weariness or just the need for some rest. Essentially, we need to know that when we aren’t feeling our best, there is someone to care for us. It’s a sip of water or some gentle words may be as necessary for our well-being as actual medicine or treatments.

Sometimes we, or those around us, need the services of a doctor, nurse, or therapist. Other times it’s we, ourselves, who need to take the role of care. This card asks us to think of the good, as well as the bed, aspects of illness. Well it’s something that I was welcome in our lives, it has the potential to bring out the best sides of our nature’s. When sickness is supported with love, care, and compassion, you can go a long way to making the experience easier.

Original language of flower meaning: beneficence

The Victorian Flower Oracle by Sheila Hamilton and artists JJ Grandville, Karen Mahoney, and Alex Ukolov

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Is it too early for the Victorian Flower Oracle? I think not. This deck belonged to a late crone of our women’s group, so it’s always a bit bittersweet to use it. However, our crone could hit the nail on the peg quite well, and sometimes so does her old deck (well, one of HUNDREDS that she had LOL).

Blessings, everyone, and beware being too consumed by your own wants, needs, and ego. On the flip side of this, understand that having no ego or a seriously deflated ego isn’t healthy either. Balance. 🙂

Narcissus – Vanity

Meaning: Grandville’s Narcissus goes longingly at her own reflection in a pond. The original Narcissus in myth was a Greek youth famed for his physical attractiveness and self-absorption. Many young women fell in love with him, chief among these bing Echo. Echo wanted to be noticed by Narcissus but he was too, well, narcissistic to notice anyone but himself. Echo pined away to such an extent that she ceased to be human and become a disembodied whisper. She called upon the goddess Nemesis to avenge her. Nemesis responded by making Narcissus fall in love with his own reflection. He knelt by a pond and gazed and gazed and could not be pulled away. Finally, he died. The flowers known as narcissus (daffodil to some of us) sprung up at the site of his death.

Why the fascination with the story of Narcissus? Certainly, vanity has been condemned by moralists since the start ofttimes. But why shouldn’t we love our own image? One unfortunate result of such moralizing is that many people actually dislike themselves and will hardly look at their reflection at all. Rather, they shrink from it. This is sad. If we have been blessed with reasonable features, or even if we haven’t, let’s enjoy our own faces.

Vanity gets tricky though when we lose ourselves in our reflections. Yes, we matter, but so do other people. The psychological term “Narcissism” refers to a deep=seated way of thinking and behaving which Denise the importance of other people’s experience. A classic Narcissist is really only aware of themselves – their feelings, their distress, their problems. They are vain, deeply so, bu they are numb to any real relationship. In fact, Narcissism derives from the Greek word Narke, which means “numb.”

If this card comes up in a reading, ask yourself how it relates to your life. Does it refer to someone close to you, or is it suggesting that you yourself are the vain one? Or – and this is a real possibility – could it be that you need to consider yourself more, not less? Vanity is unattractive, but sometimes self-regard is no bad thing.

Victorian Flower Oracle by Sheila Hamilton and artists JJ Grandville, Karen Mahony, and Alex Ukolov

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This is timely for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere – spring is slowly making her way back and many of us are feeling energized by the sunshine and early growth. This card suggests we look to grow and tend to our relationships, regardless of whether they are new or years old. Also take note that increased creativity or a rebirth of sorts may be what’s needed.

Blessings!

Primrose – Love, Creativity, and Rebirth

Meaning: Because they are so small and beautiful, and are among the first flowers to appear after winter, Primroses have always been associated with romantic love and new beginnings. Drawing this card may indicate that a new love is entering your life, or that a fresh wave of tenderness will appear in an existing partnership. Our relationships, like our dreams, have seasons, and however long you have been together it is still possible for a new cycle to being.

Alternatively, this card may indicate not the dawn of romantic love but the rising of creativity within you. The Primrose is the flower of the Bard, and each of us has a Bard within us who longs to sing the song of their soul and tell the story of their heart.

Out of the cauldron of Cerridwen came three drops, and the changes trough in Gwion Bach were profound and many. A third possibility is that, rather than love or creativity, thes card is pointing to a birthing of wisdom.

On the flip side, this card could be reminding us that a search for love can easily turn into a trap that ensnares you in a world of illusion. Hollywood tries to ensure that none of us feels fulfilled unless we are in the throes of a passionate love affair, and yet experience, and now studies of brain chemistry, tells us that the initial stages of love give way either to disillusion and separation, or a less intense form of affection, care, and companionship that can lead to a fruitful and long-lasting relationship. If you have chosen this card reversed, you may need to objectively assess whether you have fallen pretty to the illusory aspect of romantic love. To what degree is your quest in life to find completion through another human being, or through yourself?

Druid Plant Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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