Parting the Mists

With so much going on in the world, it is easy to get lost in it and the ugliness. Remember to pause and look at the beauty around you: a garden in your neighborhood, a loved one’s smile and laughter, a pet’s antics, or a mountain or prairie skyline. The world is not ugly – what we do to it and in it can be, so make good choices.

Blessings!

Walking in Beauty 

Meaning: Radiant beauty surrounds you. You’re beautiful, inside and out. No matter what your age, your grace is growing. Being in balance. As you walk in beauty and feel gratitude for it, your life will be filled with immense splendor. Whenever you can, spend time in natural, wild spaces. As you see and hear and feel beauty around you, your own beauty will grow.

Native Spirit Wisdom: In Native American traditions, there’s the concept of walking in beauty. It’s called “hozho naasha” in the Navajo/Dinch tradition, and it means being in balance with a natural way of life. When we are in the right relationship with the natural world around us, we are walking in beauty. The more you sense and see beauty around you – in your environment, yourself, and your body – the more it will fill your life in all forms. Never say anything about yourself or your body that’s negative. Don’t put down yourself or others. Instead, affirm beauty, and take time to adorn your body and personal space. Walk in nature and inhale the beauty of eery part of our wonderful planet. Cherish yourself and the luminescence within you, and you will glow.

The Journey: Create outer harmony in your home environment, even in small ways – such as a vase of flowers, a scented candle or clean windows – and your inner grace and radiance will begin to shine even more brightly. Where you go, look for beauty in your surroundings, and as a result, the world will become more beautiful.

Native Spirit Oracle by Denise Linn, art by Charles McStravick

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Running a bit late with the card, but this one covers the weekend too so I went ahead with it. This beautiful Fox is telling us that sometimes its best not to shout everything from the rooftops (or better for our times: on social media). There are times to keep your cards to yourself and quietly build on your plan.

Hope everyone has a great weekend. Blessings!

Observe in Silence

Now is not the time to be the life of the party, nor to step forward into the role of leader or teacher. Be cautious. It may not be wise to draw attention to yourself or to reveal your plans to others at this time. Instead, be silent. Step back. Be still. Watch those around you and be mindful of what you see, hear, and feel. Trust in your instincts and intuition and let them guide your steps.

Messenger Oracle by Ravynne Phelan

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Took a while to pull a card this morning as every time I tried to sit at the table to do it, little Cerridwen decided to sit in the space. Finally, she sat to the side and looked bored with me. So much for being a Tarot Kitty!

Today’s card might seem odd for a Monday, but I think many of us need to approach the day from a perspective of not overdoing things, whether in a mental or physical way.

Blessings!

Four of Arrows – Rest

Meaning: Recharging after a period of stressful activity, work, or emotional trauma. Allow time for the imagination to sojourn into the Otherworld to renew and rejuvenate vitality.

Description: On the ground lies a figure with closed eyes. There are four arrows driven into the earth, two at at the head and two at the knees. Rising above is a great multicolored butterfly from which rays of energy pour in all directions, bathing the figure in light.

Reading Points: In this stressful and demanding world, we sometimes forget that rest is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle and sleep a vital part of recuperation and the healing process. This primal mechanism is not just for the well-being of the body but the mind and imagination as well. Muscles need time to repair and rebuild after strenuous exertion, and the functions of the human psyche need dreams and deep sleep to aid the process, bringing order to what sometimes seems the chaos and random machinations of daily life.

Sometimes, inspiration and insight can also come through restful meditation and lucid dreaming. Welcome these insights joyfully and take note of what your subconscious is saying to you. One of the first human instincts when confronted with survival situations in any wild environment is to find or build a shelter to provide protection from the elements and act as a safe place to rest and sleep in safety. Though that basic human security requirement, survivors often become disoriented, make poor decisions and become unable to physically complete simple and necessary tasks, eventually losing hope. Rest and sleep are vital to restore stamina and vitality.

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

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Are you feeling worn out? Drink deeply from the Waters of Life and be renewed. The trick is determining what the waters are for you. Blessings!

Ace of Vessels – The Waters of Life

Meaning: The waters of life retain the ancient wisdom ready for reawakening. The moonlit pool of the universal soul retains all memory, ready to renew the inspired quest.

Reading Points: The suit of Vessels represent the primal mystery of human emotions, and the Ace focuses on the very essence of these powerful, yet elusive, traits. Since prehistory, emotions have been represented by the element of Water and, however far we have evolved, we are still largely ruled by our emotions and instincts. Our powers of reason, intellect and science have given us mastery of the oceans and skies, but what propels the driver to explore, invent and build is still human desire and curiosity.

Biologists would argue that our emotions are simply a manifestation of the ancient evolutionary process and are covered by the limbic system or mammalian brain. What influence the ancient reptilian brain (on which the mammalian brain sits) has on our emotional reactions is still a mystery. Our emotions need to be harnessed for positive ends, and suppressing our basic emotional needs will lead us to rebel and become detached. Gather your emotional energies and keep them in balance for health, creative, and loving interaction with all nature, including the sometimes irrational and destructive energies of humankind.

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

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OK, folks – today the three cards I drew were definitely a unified spread. The Green Man (see below) is flanked by Six of Stones, which represents Exploitation, and The Mirror, the keywords for which are Prudence and Patience. I realize my perspective is colored by what’s going on in the United States, though the pandemic has certainly affected other countries (it’s just that the U.S.’s response is abysmal by comparison), but this spread immediately made me think we as a society better get our crap together.

The Mirror can open us up to mysteries that we need to understand to grow, and the Green Man will certainly challenge us to do so. Can we as a society do this together to get away from the Exploitation we see all around us – of natural resources and of our fellow man and woman?

THE GREEN MAN

READING POINTS: The Green Man is generous in his bestowal of creative, fertile energy and he will move you to a new level of confident and assertive dynamism. This is a time for both giving and receiving the natural flow of life both inwardly and outwardly. Be prepared to find a new and thriving drive to begin projects, relationships, and even new ways of living your life and fulfilling your world. Now is the time to experience being at the apex of the cycle of life. Enjoy it!

MEANING: The Green Man is a symbol of the flourishing heart of the male aspect of nature. One of the most ancient images of the connection between mankind and nature, his face has looked out from the stones of temples and churches for centuries. Even in the dim and chilly heights of Christian cathedrals, he looks down, often sardonically, on the people far below. Constantly returning in thinly disguised ciphers such as the Green Knight, Jack in the Green, and Robin Hood, his face, disgorging leaves, peers out from the rich, dark, fertile heart of the forest and challenges you to respect and revel in the joys of the natural world. His aspect can be fearsome and frightening as he protects the wild beasts of the forest. They know his voice and his presence well, for he is a much one of them as he is the conscious spirit of the land, and the interaction between nature and beast is constant and intertwined.

The fecund cauldron is under his ever-watchful eye and the joyful exultation of creation and fertility are seen the Cerne Abbas giant, proud both in his manhood and his protective power. He is a giant figure indeed, mature in his power and patient in his resolution.

The Green Man is every vigilant and unerringly stoical in his guardianship of the sacred land. His warning to respect the laws of nature and the beast of the forest area best heeded, as his challenge to those who abuse his generosity can be fierce and severe indeed. Yet his heart is great and his spirit is warm and full of primal joy. His face is not hidden from those who can see through the thickly tangled fronds that encompass and enfold the Earth. His bounty is rich and nutritious and soaked in the golden rays of a fertile summer sun.

DESCRIPTION: The face of the Green Man gazes from this card with a challenging and blazing stare. Golden summer sunlight radiates from the leaves that burst abundantly across his glowing face and reach across the heart of the sacred land. In front of him is the cauldron of thriving and regenerating nature, which is both a preserved and storehouse of the vital energy of creation and stability. It represents the throne of kingship, currently empty, and the Green Man guards it with the spear of power and the horn of plenty, ready for the king who will take his place and stand as defender of the land.

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

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Whether the lesson is that something you do or in your life needs changed or that you need to bring something new in, don’t shy from the lessons that life offers. Blessings!

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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Good Monday! My family and close friends know without a doubt that this card was one of the reasons I wanted this deck (though don’t get me wrong – all the cards are gorgeous). A life-long lover of Border collies, I can tell you this is the perfect dog to represent loyalty. Yes, most dogs are loyal, but this breed is so much so that they are willing to do their job even when the shepherd isn’t around. That beats most humans, ahem.

And now I take the opportunity to share photos of my BCs, past and present. We had a BC mix when I was a child, Bootsie, but I have no digital photos of that sweet boy. The top pic is my girl Zoe and BC mix Bailey, both of which has passed away. The second pic is Kaitlyn, who we took for a neighbor that became homeless and couldn’t take her to a friend’s apartment. We got her at 16 years old – and two years later she acts just like any other BC: watching over her people and making sure all is in order. Admittedly, she’s a bit senile, but we still adore her.

Another thing to keep in mind when considering loyalty is that sometimes you can be loyal to someone or an ideal that is not loyal back to you. Remember, healthy relationships are two-way streets.

Blessings!

Dog Spirit – Be Loyal To What You Love

Message: Dog Spirit appears to remind you that although change is a part of life and all of us are meant to evolve, our love and commitments remain strong. You are loved now and can trust that this higher love is true. Spirit loves you, and love has arrived in many forms now, manifesting in the people you surround yourself with, expressed uniquely through them. Dog also says be true to that which you love, for now is a time of good fortune. Be steady as you recognize that people and things are always transforming. Your heart is loving and true, and Dog Spirit wants you to know that your steadfast commitment to experience and expressing love will attract and manifest more love. You deserve all of it. Have faith in Spirit’s plan for you.

Protection Message: Loyalty to people and situations can turn into attachment that results in stagnation, enmeshment, and loss of integrity. Do you fear what will happen if you let a relationship evolve? Are you afraid that asking for a situation to change will make others see you as disloyal? Trust that when Dog Spirit appears, you are meant to accept the turning of the wheel of life and the changing of fortunes. If you feel you are being betrayed or are growing apart from someone, let Dog reconnect you with your commitment to love in all its forms. Perhaps a relationship is meant to evolve; perhaps you are meant to evolve too, so that you can experience the growth for which your soul yearns. Your greatest loyalty is to love, so be open to all its many guises, including self-love. You deserve the best, and that is what Spirit wants for you.

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

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Good day! Running a bit late, but here is your card for today and the weekend. This is a potent card, The World Tree, and another card – Ten of Bows (Responsibility) was a strong secondary card. Following yesterday’s card about an otherworld journey, this will be interesting.

Blessings!

The World Tree

MEANING: As a symbol of the conscious bridge between the living macrocosm and the inner universe of the human psyche, the world tree marks the end of one journey for the wanderer and the beginning of another. The wanderer began the journey around the wheel with an innocent and childlike curiosity, but the subtle growing process experienced on the way has brought inner gifts of wisdom and awareness. The final step is to follow the path through the living maze and enter the heart of the world tree to become one with the wholeness of the universal mind.

Nothing is hidden and no misleading diversions are set to lead the unwary off the path, but to gain access to the tree one must walk the path and complete the journey. The unicursal labyrinth has no dead ends or false routes but leads on one wondering pathway from the entrance, inexorably to the center. Perhaps symbolizing the passage of the sun or guarding the souls of the dead ancestors and spirits in their place of repose, it remains a pathway to the core of the mysteries and and easily recognized image of the human journey. Though the doorway at the base of the tree is clearly visible and nothing stops the traveler from directly approaching it, walking the labyrinth in pathway is a ritual requiring patience and insight and enabling contemplation and meditation on the meaning of the journey.

What may be found behind that the door is both individual and universal, for encompassed within the branches of the world tree or the four seasons of the cycle of life. Through the rest for healing of winter to the fertile freshness of spring, the power and joy of summer and the wisdom immaturity of autumn, the cosmic light of universal understanding shines from the heart of the tree, creating a bridge to the source of all conscienceless and life.

The World Tree represents all individual life and all knowledge and one holographic field of consciousness and paradoxically, remains as one entity, a whole and complete. This complex concept is not Only stranger than we think; is stranger than we can think!

DESCRIPTION: The great World Tree marks the end of the wander’s journey. All four seasons are represented in the branches of the tree and added space is a labyrinth of the kind of found in many parts of the world and dating back to prehistoric time.

READING POINTS: The universe and all its blessings are available to everyone who seeks knowledge and wisdom with a sincere heart. On every level, the cosmos has a generous bounty and gives freely of its rich nourishment and fulfillment. No matter how long the journey of life may be, however many twists and turns the maze may offer us, in the end, if we persevere, we will reach the point of fulfillment. This may relate to material gain and wealth or two spiritual happiness and emotional security, but after the long process of learning, responsibility, and rebirth, it is now time to bathe in the light of renewal, attainment, and personal triumph. Breathe in the rich air, drink in the sweet water, and rejoice in the warming fire of the universal life force.

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

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