Parting the Mists

OK, I normally don’t pull a card on the weekend, but as I forgot to do it yesterday I thought I would do one for Saturday. Enjoy!

As some of you know, dogs have always been special to me. From the puppy my Mom found a few days after I was born that I got to grow up with to our current crew of rescues (shown below), it’s hard for me to imagine life without a dog.

Dogs almost always represent loyalty, but there’s definitely more to them than that. Guardians, guides, healers, and more.

Blessings!

DOG – Guidance, Protection, Loyalty

THE CARD: Shows a deer-hound similar to the hound portrayed in the bronze figure found at the third-century shrine of the healer-god Nodens at Lydney, Gloustershire. Another healing sanctuary at Nettleton Shrub in Wiltshire was dedicated to Apollo Cunomaglus – the Celtic “Hound-lord” – showing that the dog was strongly associated with healing. It is a bright summer’s day, with the dog-rose, dog-daisy, dog-violet, and dog-periwinkle all in flower. These hot days of July and August are called the Dog-days because at this period the Dog star Sirius rises and sets with the sun. We see a pool beside the dog, for there is a deep symbolic connection between the dog and water.

MEANING: The Dog, or Cu in Gaelic, brings guidance and protection, acting as a loyal companion and friend on your journey in both this life and the next. In the Druid tradition, the dog is seen as the Guardian of the Mysteries. As such, he can be fierce, but if our intentions are good, then Cu will lead us over the threshold through the darkness and the waters of the Unconscious toward the simmering realm of the Goddess.

The time may come when you need to act with the spirit of Cu – to defend your values or protect that which you hold sacred. Faithfulness, trust, and the loyalty are vital ingredients of close relationships, and the time may have come for you to focus on these qualities – to develop them gradually in yourself and to appreciate them in others.

This card may also indicate that you need to examine the degree to which you or those around you may be lacking in faithfulness or loyalty. Ask yourself to what extent you value these qualities in your friends and lovers, and to what extent you and they express these values. If you find it difficult to keep friendships, Cu as your ally will help you to develop the qualities of selflessness and trust that will nurture close relationships. But remember that sometimes loyalty and faithfulness can be inappropriate – a dog is often submissive and anxious to please even a cruel owner.

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

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Treasure comes in many forms, and often our richest treasure lies inside ourselves. Are you blocking yourself from it?

Have a good day, everyone!

Earth Dragon – Power, Potential, Riches

The Earth Dragon (Draig-talamh) brings us face to face with our potential. He shows us that we have a treasure house of riches – of powers and capacities – that we can learn how to use. In the past, we may have been denied access by the guardian of this treasure. But now we are coming to understand that this sometimes fierce guardian is in reality an aspect of ourselves. By coming to know and love Draig-talamh, we will be able to unlock the secrets of our heart, and at the same time we will find ourselves discovering the beauty and the power that lie within the hearts of those around us and in the very earth itself.

This card might also indicate that somehow you are relating in an inappropriate way to your inner reserves and potential. Earth Dragon guards the treasures of your soul fiercely, but he is your ally, not your enemy – do not try to kill him and do not try to wrest the treasure away from him. You may need to spend time befriending this creature who has slumbered in your soul for so long. A precipitous attempt to capitalize on your talents or express your potential may be unwise.

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

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I almost thought the Yarrow card (fidelity, masculinity, and virility) was going to be the pick today, but then this one came up STRONG. And considering my energy sensing is still off (from the chemo and so on), it was a surprise to have a card read this strong lately.

But why not? This card speaks to change, and sometimes to slowing down and enjoying the constants. Many of us are experiencing both of these simultaneously due to current conditions. It’s an unusual experience, so perhaps we should slow down and consider this dynamic.

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 at first read, but look deeper. Is she betraying Lleu? Or is she honoring herself and her own sovereignty?

Blessings!

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 in 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 a 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 constants 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 authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington

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With many of us practicing social distancing, it’s easy to fall into the trap of only being concerned with our own households. Today’s message says to be sure to look outside of your own home and see if there is someone you should help. With technology, we don’t necessarily need to endanger ourselves to do it.

Blessings and have a good week!

Show That You Care

Do not distance yourself from life and those around you. Reach out. Ask for help or support if you have need. Or, if someone within your circle is in need of care and support, then give it without hesitation or question. A trouble shared is a burden halved. Now is not the time to withdraw and be alone, nor is it time to leave another in need. Be aware. Be caring. Be compassionate. Reach out and be a friend and allow others to be a friend to you.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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This card is stunningly beautiful, but it’s also an interesting message at a time when many people are discussing freedom and what limits it. Truly, we are usually the ones responsible for much of our lack of freedom – we often give our power to others. And in other ways, we can stubbornly refuse to join with others in a way that might actually give you more freedom (I’m kind of guilty this one). Read the message from Horse Spirit. Relax. Think on it. How can you be truly free in your life? And what freedom do you  really want?

Blessings!

Horse Spirit  – Freedom is Yours

Message: When Horse Spirit appears, you are gifted with the spirit of movement and freedom. It is a time for travel and adventure, whether that means a trip somewhere or taking a different typeof journey, one of freedom of choice. Horse Spirit reminds you that no matter the circumstances, you have free will and choices that can take you far away to a better place, a better situation, a better state of being, for there is no one but you to rein in your will to make a different decision. You are capable of making powerful choices that will affect you for a long time to come.

Horses are social animals and known to be a friend to mankind, willing to carry us forward when we need it. Horse Spirit reminds you that help will be available to you whenever you need it and companions will be by your side where you choose to go, whatever direction you choose to travel. Life is an adventure, and Horse Spirit wants you to know that whatever choices you make, you have Great Spirit within, invisible yet holding you up and always walking by your side.

If your inquiries are about a relationship, you can set your heart free to experience love in all forms. Spirit whispers to you that the gift of freedom is yours if you allow yourself to break out of your perfectionism and stubbornness. Make a new move and enjoy the freedom of letting go of the need to control.

Protection Message: Are you feeling stuck? Has your spirit been broken by challenges you have faced? Your current choices may not seem the best, but you are not seeing the clearing ahead where you can break free and run. Whatever your choices right now, they can lead you to exhilarating freedom, so trust the guidance of Spirit. Horse Spirit is here to tell you that adventure calls, and you will soon realize your power is greater than you think.

Perhaps your frustration and feelings of being fenced in are the result of being too much on your high horse, unwilling to come down to earth and join the herd that wants to support you. Being in control and in charge can be overrated. It’s time to loosen up, drop the reins, let go, and prance with others just for the fun of it.

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

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Good Monday! Here in U.S., a lot of states are “opening up” a bit – please take care of yourselves and be cognizant of the risks you are taking for yourself and loved ones. I want to keep seeing all of you here. 🙂

As for our card, it’s one I considered loaded with meaning and potential. It’s also a bit scary, as surrendering to something out of our control often is. Blessings.

The Mirror

Meaning: In many traditions, the initiator into hidden knowledge is a female figure that reveals insights and wisdom to those on the spiritual sojourn. In the ancient Arthurian cycles this is Morgan, who takes Arthur on his journey into limbo and healing on the isle of Avalon. The Lady of the Lake is another such primal figure who also acts as a holder and guardian of the sword Excalibur and as an arbiter of Arthur’s actions. Both these archetypes represent the unconscious journey of the soul into deeper awareness and wisdom. No action will can make the soul take this journey; it can only happen after much searching and questing. It is also a condition of this experience that some kind of wounding has taken place. It is through the pain and endurance of the wounding that wisdom comes, at which point the individual can cross the lake to the island of healing and protection. It is a natural state of surrender that allows the inner self to travel across the emotional sea to the Otherworld.

The mysterious figure holds the mirror that aids our inner reflections and the orbit of seeing that helps illuminate the shadows of our inner life. The heron stands both as a keeper of the mysteries and a guardian of the other world. In some legends, three cranes or herons were seen at the gate of this magical realm and croaked warnings to the unprepared or uninitiated visitor. The cauldron represents the vessel of his knowledge and inspiration. From it, the bright flame of insight and revelation illuminates the dark landscape, this is the card that in the traditional tarot is known as the Hanged Man. We have chosen to amalgamate aspects of this into the Blasted Oak, while the reflecting mirror offers the same dizzy change from one state of being to another. As the hanged man sees life from another angle, so those who look into the mirror see things reflected as they truly are.

Reading Points: Patience and prudence are the keywords here, although trust plays a large part in the process of crossing to the island where insights into our own unconscious workings may be revealed. This process differs from the journey of the Hooded Man who makes a conscious decision to withdraw and contemplate the universe. In the mirror, a surrender of oil is required. Insides may come from dreams and meditations, but now is not the time to force the pace or drive on with the plan or desire until you have heard what your soul has to say, and your bruised and wounded spirit has been healed. Be patient. Let the journey commence and awaken fresh and full of energy, ready to deal the world and the challenge it raises.

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

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OK, so the three cards I pulled today all seemed to speak to being careful and doing what is necessary rather than what we want to do. I’m posting a pic of all three, but the card for the day is Seek the Lesson. What do you think of this spread?

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Seek the Lesson

Wisdom is born from seeking the lesson and all experiences, both the good and bad. It is born from the awareness that everything is connected, and that all happens for a reason – even when the reason remains a mystery. Embrace a new idea, new awareness, or the new knowledge that comes from listening to your internal voice and to the human and nonhuman teachers and messengers that will come in, and out, of your life. Let them inspire you to explore unknown pathways.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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Squirrel is here to reassure us that we have the ability to get through our troubles. The Protection Message might especially be fitting for many today. Blessings!

Squirrel Spirit: Believe in Yourself

Message: You have accumulated wisdom and experience and are surrounded by all you need. An abundance of resources is available to you through the generosity of Spirit and all your hard work. Squirrel Spirit shows up when you need reminding that the acorns you have gathered and stowed away have enormous potential to grow, so relax into knowing there is always enough and you have what it take to co-create the reality you want to experience. Through diligent preparation, you have gained wisdom and strength. How much potential you have! Believe in yourself, for Spirit believes in you and wants you to know you have enough and areenough. Doesn’t that truth make you feel safe and secure? It should, for you have everything you need right now.

Protection Message: The unpredictability of life can shake your confidence and your potential for handling the challenges that come your way. Does the thought of not having enough or being enough make you squirrely? Have you forgotten all your strengths, wisdom and resources? You have come so far on your wits and creativity, making use of all your potential and all that Spirit presents to help you through life’s trying times. It’s time to look back on your life and remember how your needs have always been met for the highest good, even in your most challenging times.

Life loves you, and so many treasures are hidden in plain sight, ready to be revealed when you most need them – so relax. Squirrel Spirit wants you to know you are poised and ready for whatever is coming next, so trust in yourself and trust that Spirit has your back!

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

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Good morning! Today’s card certainly challenges us in regard to our respect for others and for the environment. Why don’t we consider his message?

NINE OF BOWS – RESPECT

MEANING: When nearing the heart of a sacred quest, motivation and integrity of human desires are challenged. Ancient wisdom demands the seeker be humble and forgiving. Respect for others and for the environment is required to proceed along the path to enlightenment. There is no completion without overcoming the challenge.

DESCRIPTION: The wild and fearsome Wodwose of the forest crosses your path, brandishing a rough-hewn bow. The Wodwose is linked to many ancient worldwide legends of large and hairy wild men of the forest. He challenges our dedication and courage to continue along a chosen path.

READING POINTS: To follow the path through the Wildwood is not without its challenges and demands. When entering any such environment, one must be prepared to face the dangers and natural perils that abide there. Having empathy for the environment and being ready to deal with it respectfully and in a practical manner is to learn another lesson and take away fresh insight. If we look deeper for meaning in the forces blocking our way, we often see how we have contributed to the problem and how we attracted these negative energies through lack of self-discipline, or mistakes made in the past. The sign of an evolved spirit is someone who can acknowledge past failures or defeats without bitterness and self-torment and move forward through life with a positive outlook and wisdom gathered through struggle. The Wodwose reminds us to treat the challenges of the Wildwood with patience and compassion, marking each scar or wound suffered during the struggle as a badge of honor, earned and overcome by inner courage, dedication, and faith in the lore of natural justice.

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

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So often folks pay attention to the full moon, but don’t forget all the cycles affect us – and the dark moon can be a powerful time for spiritual work. Blessings!

FOLLOW THE MOON

Three quarters of Gaia’s surface is covered in water and the Moon’s pull can lift the Earth’s oceans at the Equator and carry them along in her wake. Two thirds of the human body is also water, therefore you also are subject to her power. As she waxes and wanes, so do you. Take note. Follow the moon cycles and take note of how you think and feel as her light increases and decreases. Take time to explore and understand her influence upon both your body and your emotions.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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