OK, forgive me for the cheesy headline, but don’t peaches just embody vibrance and lushness? My world is certainly getting lush – I love how grape leafs look a bit like a flower bud when they begin to unfurl, how my oregano, sage, and thyme come back in full force every spring to encourage the other new herbs, how EASY lettuce is to grow and makes you feel abundant so early in the season, and the graceful snowdrops.
Today it is time to nourish your soul and heart. Blessings!
Nine of Water – Peach (Prunus persica)
Celebrate the pleasures of life; delicate blossoms ripen into succulent fruit; enjoy your own sweet company
A vibrant peach tree leans over the bank of a river. Pink flowers float in a wooden bowl filled with pure water. The elixir brews in the sun. A robe hangs from a branch of the tree.
Meaning: Emotional nourishment is food for the soul. Invite comfort and happiness to fill your heart and enchant the senses. Peach trees are messengers of delight: water flowers dance, taste sweet fruit, smell fragrant blossoms, feel cool leaves, listen to birds sing from branches. Let yourself be immersed in the waters of life, touched by grace. Peach tea cools inflammation; wash away the heat of negativity and disharmony. the luscious fruit of the peach brings the slow gift of summer to life. When your deepest wishes come to pass, enjoy them fully and offer gratitude for your blessings.
Crafting with Nine of Water:
• Enjoy a cool peach on a summer’s day. let each juicy bite e a meditation in joy. • Honor yourself with a sacred bath of peach blossoms, sensual oils, and perfumes. • Craft a peach flower essence to celebrate your majesty. You are sovereign unto yourself.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
Maybe it’s the full moon energy still holding sway, but The Moon card with a moonflower (datura) during the Pink Supermoon that verges on May (which has the Full Flower Moon) seems to fit so nicely for the day.
The Moon – Datura
Face the unknown; enter the luminous darkness; open your eyes to night blooming magic
A large crystal bowl filled with water sits on a dark velvet cloth. Eight datura flowers surround the bowl. They unfold from a compact bud into the open form of a chalice. One white flower spins in the bowl as moonbeams hit the water.
Meaning: Intuitive awakening awaits. Datura has a long history of magic and lore with witches and cunning folk. The potent seeds and flowers have been used by experienced practitioners to induce alternative states of consciousness. Turn toward mystery with curiosity and courage. Your dreams may e vivid and easy to remember, but also scary and confusing. Datura is a toxic plant whose ingestion can quickly lead to a number of permanent damaging effects. learn to speak the language of symbol, myth, and metaphor. As datura blooms with the moonlight, so is it now time to stay away and witness the magic that dwells in the darkness. Embrace the power of vibrational medicine.
Crafting with the Moon: • Use datura flying ointment to enhance your dreams • Cultivate a relationship with the moon and watch your awareness bloom •Go on moonlit walks and seek out other night blooming plants
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artists Joanna Powell Colbert
As the herbs in our yard re-emerge and the new ones we’ve planted take root, this card feels right as we look forward to gathering the goodness they will offer in a month or two. Healing and restoring our mind, body, and soul takes time and planning sometimes – as in the retreat.
What? You’ve been retreating from the world for 13 months now? There’s a difference between being at home and being at home in a way that encourages your mental and physical well being. Whether you can do a mini two-hour retreat or an away-from-home for a few days retreat, perhaps now is a good time to allow yourself that time and space.
Blessings!
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 and artist Will Worthington
Today’s card is always one of my favorites, possibly because I am a homebody that likes my physical home to be a place to recharge, be happy, and be creative in. It’s telling us to focus on what we consider our home and community and the people within it.
Have a great week!
TEN OF STONES – HOME
MEANING: The inner and outer community that sustains and supports the individual, not necessarily blood family but the trusted friends, comrades, and lovers who offer security and affection.
READING POINTS: The traditional concept of home and family has evoked and changed over the last few decades, but certain basic notions remain unchanged. In the traditional British family home, where the father went to work and the mother stayed home to manage the house and the children, home was the place we always came back to, where stability and a well-founded set of traditions and social rules applied. It was both guarded and guided by love, respect, and loyalty As children, we see home as a place of security and caring. As young adults exploring the world, it can be wherever you lay your hat or guitar case. In later life, it may become your own heart’s stronghold and sanctuary. For some, the concept of home is just that: an idea, a hope, a dream, not merely a shelter from the elements or an investment in bricks and plaster. For some, it truly is where love resides and is the final destination after a colorful or arduous life journey.
DESCRIPTION: A great arch made up of ten weathered stones frames the picture. Through this gate, we glimpse an Iron Age round house with a path leading to it. From the thatched roof of the house rises a mighty apple tree. Carved into the two lowest stones of the great arch are rough-hewn male and female figures.
The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington
What an appropriate card for today! Remember, this warrior is not a violent one, but a persistent one. Look for the signs (listed in bold down in the description) of needing to course correct yourself and recognize the battle in others. It’s hard one. But our ability to live on this planet for long depends on it.
Blessings!
Alakoa – Warrior of the Spirit
Meaning:Do not give up. If you feel hopelessness, despair, defeat or frustration and you wonder if it is really worth it, place your mind in your heart and your heart in awareness of what it is that is inspiring you. Do you feel alone on your quest? Look for the legions of beings in spirit and upon the earth that fight alongside you, fearless and ferocious with love. Be uplifted by your fellow Spirit Warriors, beloved one. Feel the joy of their love and unity with you. You have access to the divine power that conquers any obstacle, wins every battle and secures every victory.
Spiritual Guidance: From the fierce Hawaiian Koa tradition of warriors comes the word alakoa, which means “to cultivate the spirit of the warrior.” Inherent in this code is service to a cause greater than the individual ego.
For the Earth Warrior, that means a community, cause, or country. For the Spirit Warrior, service is to higher consciousness itself. For the Spirit Warrior, love is the inspiration, the purpose for the battle and the only way to with the war. Joy is a sign that the Spirit Warrior is tuned into Source, for that is the frequency which lets us kno w when we are in divine presence. As soon as we are in the grip of darkness, joy disappears. Although the Spirit Warrior will experience emotions such as anger, grief, and fear, there is recognition that the ability to conquer lies the present moment and that fear comes from negative fantasies about the future. In disciplining the mind and nurturing the soul with spiritual light, the Spirit Warrior learns how to manage emotional content so that it becomes possible to be fully present.
The Spirit Warrior doesn’t have a violent soul, but does have a powerful energy and a great need to put that energy to good use as an effective action-oriented presence for higher consciousness on earth. The Spirit Warrior within you needs to feel that our life is dedicated to something meaningful and magnificent, to witness the positive difference that you are creating through your actions. Don’t allow others to stop you from unleashing this beautiful divine masculine spirit powerin your mind, your soul, and our world. We need you! We need men and women who can surrender to the guiding wisdom of a higher power and get things done.
Earth Warrior Oracle by author Alana Fairchild and artist Isabel Bryan
The moment you deny yourself the right to be bold, present, practical, and engaged with the world through your spiritual truth, your mind has begun repressing the warrior energy within you. Maybe it’s your own mind that tells you that you shouldn’t make waves, or that being spiritual means never causing a ruckus or that you should just be peaceful and let go, even though you know it is your heart and not your ego that is crying out for you to hold on. Maybe others are saying you feel too much or you should protect yourself and switch off from worrying about things that you can’t change. Let your voracious warrior soul gobble up such lies and use them to intensify your passionate willingness to act.
If you try to repress the bold, dynamic vitality of the Spirit Warrior within, then it cannot function as it is meant to and becomes distorted. Signs of distorted warrior energy include the eruption into inexplicable aggression towards others with cold judgement and scathing criticism, or towards yourself in self-defeating, self-sabotaging, self-harming behaviours, in violent dreams and in feelings of having one’s hands tied, needing to do something and yet feeling held back. If joy isn’t cultivated, then the warrior energy can become dark and coercive, where despair leads to loss of integrity and the ends justify any means.
True Spirit Warriors eschew such spiritual lawlessness. They have compassion for all people, especially those tainted by the forces of hate. They know that it is lower consciousness that they are fighting against, and that the people damaged by it are in need of spiritual truth and fierce compassion. If a Spirit Warrior tries to fight from a place of despair and darkness, doubt and hate, the battle will become destructive to their soul. When you fight for love from a place of joy, Spirit Warrior, the battle opens your beautiful fierce heart. It uplifts your mind and empowers your soul with the might of divine grace that accomplishes all pursuits and wins every war.
Today’s card suggests it’s time to pause before action and find your center, some stillness. Grow and focus your power before acting.
The Gathering Your Tribe card was also strong today. I wondered if that wasn’t for me specifically, as my local women’s group is planning its first in-person gathering – we will be outdoors, spaced out, and masked when not eating – since February 2020. But I know many people are feeling this, especially as vaccinations make it a little safer to gather again.
Have a great Wednesday!
Sacred Mountain
Meaning: Be still and take time to move into the silent place within yourself. Locate your internal source of power. Meditate and wait. Do not move forward until it feels right. Surrender to stillness. Do not take action. If you observe, rather than react, you claim your power.
Native Spirit Wisdom: From the vantage point of the sacred mountain, your power grows. In the silence you find your secret witness. It is the dwelling place of your soul. In peace, seek and discover your truth. Move past the bustle and clutter of life into sweet quietude. If you are in pain, don’t lash out; go into it until you find the source of that and healed. Resist the temptation to indulge in feelings of stress, urgency, and emergency. Your power is born in silence. This piece gives birth to your serenity. Seek solitude to listen to the voice of your higher self and awaken your inner wisdom.
The Journey: Trouble to the peaks of hallowed mountains, and if you can’t do this in person, travel in your meditation. Imagine yourself atop a High peak and you can see the world in all directions. Give thanks and offerings to mountains, whenever you encounter them. The spirit of the mountain will deeply appreciate your gift.
Native Spirit Oracle by Denise Linn, art by Charles McStravick
Today’s card is a good reminder that sometimes we must make our own happiness. We might tire of the expression, “Happiness is a choice” and it might be an oversimplification for some that struggle with depression or anxiety, but is accurate. St. John’s wort is one of many natural tools to deal with such things, so it’s a good and sunny representative of the work needed. Don’t allow yourself to spiral down too far – the sun is ready to shine upon your face.
Blessings.
The Sun – St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum)
Cultivate happiness, vitality, and joy; the peak of summer’s power wards off every ill; Shine on! Celebrate yourself and your successes
A clear jar of red infused oil encircled by bunches of St. John’s wort sits on an indigo-dyed cloth. A crown of the blood red oil in vials adorns the top of the bouquet. The bright yellow flowers tumble onto a replica of the ancient Mixtec Sun stone, which hides beneath the green mass. A few flowers have fallen into the jar of oil.
Meaning: Happiness begets happiness. Radiate liveliness and vitality. Fully experience the sheer gift of being alive. St. John’s wort is best known as a mood-lifting plant but it also repairs skin from trauma and soothes nerve-related pain. The flower buds emit a rich pigment that yields vibrant red potions. The flowers and buds peak at the height of summer, the most potent time for wildcrafting. Make magic and medicine when your joy in in full bloom. Seek vibrant people and healing experiences that build good energy and boost your power. The leaves of St. John’s wort shimmer like diamonds when held up to the sun. Step into the light and show your sparkle.
Crafting with the Sun:
• Keep bright flowers in your home to promote a sense of joy. • Craft oils and elixirs with St. John’s wort to invoke the healing powers of light during dark times • Wear bright red lipstick and nail polish to celebrate your fabulous self.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
Good day! And today we have a card that I’ve never drawn for the blog, which is a bit surprising.
I’m off to get my second COVID vaccination today, so I’m a happy camper! Wishing you all a good and productive day.
Blessings!
Lady’s Mantle – The Feminine, Detail, and Miracles
Meaning: A dewdrop is a tiny thing but, when you gaze into it, it acts like a crystal ball, revealing the whole world within it; it is reminiscent of William Blake’s famous lines:
To see a World in a Grain of Sand And a Heaven in a Wild Flower Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand And Eternity in an Hour.
This card may be reminding you to treasure the small things in life because it is in the details that a life grows rich, and every person, every subject, every event, grows richer the more we focus upon it.
The card may also urge you to connect more deeply with the Goddess in your spiritual practice or with the Feminine principle in your emotional and psychological life. It may be that you have been used to approaching the world and relationship in an analytical or objective way that is no longer serving you. Now may the time to one to that less predictable, sometimes wilder, way of relating to and looking at things that could bring miracles into your life.
On the flip side, this card reminds us the most people are quite naturally dismayed when the going gets tough. But if you have chosen this card reverse it may indicate that you have the good feature of being able to see opportunities for growth even in the most despairing of situations. The alchemists of old believed that gold could be made out of “base matter” and that this, though dismissed as worthless by many, provided them with their working material.
In the same way, the challenges and trials of life are seen by the Druid and spiritual alchemist as ideal opportunities for learning and development. Although to some extent this involves reframing a situation in its most positive light, to “make the best of a bad job,” a deeper process is at work. Character, qualities of soul, wisdom, maturity, and compassion come not from a life of ease and tranquility, but from a life in which our hearts, mind, and sometimes even our bodies are pitted against forces we may not understand.
Druid Plant Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington
It’s always easier to tell people what they want to hear instead of the truth – and truth telling in a diplomatic way takes some skill. Today is a day to hone that skill.
Blessings!
FOX (Sionnach) – Diplomacy, Cunning, and Wildness
Meaning: Fox is a fine, graceful creature who typifies the beauty and harmony of the natural world. Working with the power of the fox, you will know when it is time to come out into the open and be counted, but you will also know when it is time to remain silent, to keep your own counsel. With others, you will be able to be diplomatic, and one of the attributes of the fox is being “strong in counsel.” One of the hardest things, if you are a person working with “fox-powers,” is to ensure that your skill and diplomacy do not become dishonesty or slyness. Remaining silent, or becoming invisible to watch the unfolding drama, is an asset that can bring with it its own special culpability if it is not tempered with wisdom.
On the flip side, Fox may also be a warning to be careful not to use your cleverness dishonestly. The knowing or kenning of the fox can easily become cunning which turns into conning. This card could mean that you are coming into contact with that part of you which feels a victim. In the past, the fox was hunted for its beautiful fur, but the hunt was considered sacred. From the moment weapons were forged, the hunt was dedicated to the Goddess, and her permission was sought before the hunter would date take the life of an animal. More recently, the fox has become a symbol of the innocence and beauty of the natural world being destroyed by man’s cruelty. If you feel you are at the mercy of circumstances, or are being unfairly or cruelly treated, take a lesson from the fox and “lie low” for a while. Concern yourself with family and home, and develop your skills of mediation and diplomacy.
Most of the animal names used contemptuously come from a patriarchal culture and hence are applied to women (bitch, cat, cow, and shrew for example) but the insult of “vixen” includes an erotic connotation – accusing a woman of being a vixen suggests she is cunning and ill-tempered, but also sexy. The term “foxy lady” conveys this idea, but in a more positive light. It may be that you need to discover how you can show the wild and erotic side of your charater – the Wildman or Wildwoman in you – in the most creative way.
The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by Will Worthington
Our little Queen Cerridwen (don’t let her expression fool you – she’s actually quite sweet) was guarding the deck this morning. Hadn’t shown her in a while, so thought I’d share this pic.
This card appears quite a bit in my personal readings (thankfully!) but hasn’t shown up for the card of the day in a while. Well, she’s a helpful figure who is here to lend you support. 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.
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
Parting the Mists 