Look before your leap is a great way to describe the Medicine Bag card. It’s time to slow down and truly listen to your gut instincts instead of pouncing on anything that looks good on the outside (or perhaps is simply a convenient distraction from things you need to be addressing). Today and this weekend is not the time to rush into something. Conserve your energy and resources.
Blessings, everyone!
MEDICINE BAG
MEANING: Gather your resources. Be discerning. Vast inner power is growing in your life – step back and let it grow. There are times to shine brightly for all to see, and there are also times to choose carefully who sees your true self. Choose wisely. Do not make hasty decisions. If it doesn’t feel right, hold back. You’re protected from any less-than-positive outside influences. Your capacity and potential are growing in leaps and bounds.
NATIVE SPIRIT WISDOM: It’s traditional in indigenous cultures to carry a medicine bag or bundle as a form of protection and also as a way to access your personal power through the sacred objects that are held there. The items in the medicine bag each contain potent qualities that allow one’s abilities to magnify and also help one commune with the Creator. As your power grows, take time to protect it. Just as you protect a seedling in the early months, and then later – once it’s an established tree – it can withstand the storms of time. Protect your growing power, and it will become as mighty as an ancient oak.
THE JOURNEY: Consider obtaining or creating your own medicine bag or bundle. Put objects in it that are meaningful to you and make you feel strong and vital whenever you look at them. Traditionally, one’s medicine bag was not worn for display, but often hidden from view or kept in a sacred place.
Native Spirit Oracle by Denise Linn, art by Charles McStravick
OK, it’s another two-card kind of day! They were both strong and I went back and forth before saying, oh well – they are BOTH the card. I sense a lot of folks hunkering down with their mental and physical junk. It’s time to let it loose and see the truth. Give special attention to the protection messages of these cards as they often give good advice in troubling times.
Blessings!
Frog Spirit – Clear out the Clutter
Message: Frog Spirit knows that while all the other frogs are croaking away, this is a time for you to simplify and declutter your life so you can feel content on your own lily pad. Even when life isn’t creating a total cacophony, we can become drawn to the excitement of lots of noise. Then, the next thing we know, our schedules and homes are cluttered with commitments we regret making and objects taking up valuable space. Even relationships need decluttering, as they often become messy.
Frog Spirit appears to tell you to clean house – prioritize what you need, and get rid of or give away the rest, so you can have some space in your day and in your heart. You don’t need the old stuff and its stories shouting at you about the past. Along with the physical clutter, friendships are sometimes kept long past their expiration date, weighing you down with unnecessary baggage. Now is the time to let go.
Whatever you need will appear when you need it, so relax your grip on all that clutter that is making you feel anxious and burdened. Frog wants you to reclaim your space unencumbered by shoulds, oughts, and could-have-beens. Let go and jump – you are free from all that old stuff!
PROTECTION MESSAGE: What’s weighing you down? Is it time for a spiritual and psychic cleansing? Are you overdue for letting go of the voices that surround you? They may have started to get into your head,these voices that bog you down and keep you from leaping forward into a better situation. Let others croak and create their dramas while you make space for yourself and for sharing your own thoughts as they arise. Declutter your schedule and stop trying to do it all and then some. Let others manage their own baggage rather than allowing it to be dumped on you, for your lily pads needs to be clear of others’ clutter.
Frog may also come bearing a message about your physical space. Do you hold on to things because you are afraid of losing your energetic connection to the past, to people who are no longer in your life, or to goals you never pursued? Or could you have these items around because you would feel guilty if you got rid of them? Are your storage and living spaces stuffed with reminders of what you are not, when they should be holding only objects that reflect who you are and aspire to be? If something is no longer making you feel joyful, empowered, and excited, Frog is telling you to let it go and free yourself to leap forward into something new, trusting you will always have what you need.
Dragonfly Spirit – Truth Transcends Illusion
Message: Dragonfly Spirit is here to remind you of the wisdom and truth available at all times in the hidden realms. Just as a dragonfly catches your eye with its reflective wings and body, Dragonfly Spirit appears to tell you to pay attention to the truth beyond the illusion and recognize the insights that come seemingly out of nowhere, peeking through from behind the veil. In the realm of Spirit, there is far more wisdom that you can perceive with our senses, and there is a deep knowing that you are not separate or alone, for a higher power recognizes you and loves you beyond measure. Fears dissipate as you realize you are embraced by the nurturing force that is everywhere, always in communication with you.
Alighting when you are preoccupied, Dragonfly Spirit offers this message: You exist in unity with all, including the protective spirits who share their wisdom, and you are being nudged along the path your soul needs to travel to have the experiences it creates.
Pay attention to the signs now; they remind you that each of us have inspired dreams seamlessly sewn into the fabric of the invisible world, and there is a Great Consciousness that exists in the seemingly empty spaces, guiding us on our journey. Open to the truth, letting the wisdom of the hidden realms inform you, providing insight your conscious mind overlooks.
PROTECTION MESSAGE: Did you really think this world of the senses is all there is? From the hidden mystical realms, signs are being sent to you, but perhaps you have perceived separation and convinced yourself that you are on your own.Have you fallen into spiritual amnesia and forgotten your connection to a living, loving, always supportive universe? If so, rub the sleep out of your eyes, for Dragonfly Spirit is here to remind you of all the love and support available to you in every moment. There is an organizing principle underlying the events you have experienced, and Dragonfly Spirit can help you see it and trust that Spirit has your back. Let go of the illusion of chaos and randomness. Love is here, so follow the signs that appear serendipitously. As you pay attention to the magic all around you, you will know you are on the right track.
Spirit Animal Oracle by author Colette Baron-Reid and artist Jena DellaGrottaglia
As most of you know, I pull three cards each day and post the one that has the strongest energy. Today’s card is Eight of Fire – Ginger, but close behind it was Eight of Water – Valerian. The Eight cards in this deck represent drawing deep on the Earth and yourself to stay the course for something that might be difficult. We have accepted a calling and have come to a challenging part in the journey – but you have the ability to make it through.
As these two cards are on opposite sides of the spectrum, I would say there are some of you that need to ignore the Ginger card and seek the rest and recuperation that Valerian provides.
Blessings!
Eight of Fire – Ginger
Adapt swiftly to unexpected changes; you can handle the heat; act quickly the inspiration strikes
Something cooks on every burner in a busy kitchen. A sauté pan is alive with flames; vegetables fly into the air from another pan; a large pot bubbles over with broth. A tray of onions, limes, and ginger root is precariously perched on the edge of the stove. The walls are filled to the brim with spices, herbs, and culinary supplies.
Meaning: Inspiration comes from all directions. Can you handle so many things at once? Like the busy stove in this kitchen, everything begs for your attention. Change is happening quickly. Swift action is needed or you may become overwhelmed. Ginger warms the body and fires up energy. When creative possibilities spin all about you, fast, focused movement is key. This is not the time to pause and consider but instead to respond with urgency. Ginger is spicy medicine, but you can handle the heat.
Crafting with the Eight of Fire
• Build your resilience and adapt to unexpected changes: use spice ginger in cooking.
• Make ginger elixir; take it to keep the flames of inspiration burning.
• Speed up a desired outcome by crafting a magic ginger honey pot.
The HerbCrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
What a lovely sentiment for today! It should be noted that this earthy card was flanked on either side by a fiery card. Often at this time of year, people focus on the symbolism of the hearth fire, but that fire must be set on top of solid and well built hearth stone in order not to spread and become a danger. So stay warm, but remember to stay grounded and kind.
Blessings!
Curandera of Earth – Sweetgrass
The living earth is our greatest teacher; braid together love, health, and wealth – then give it away; let a holy fragrance bring you home.
Several strange of sweetgrass have been woven into long braids in a well-tended meadow. An old woman weaves the long blades directly from the earth. Her hands are weathered from working the land.Her old sun hat, worn from decades of use, rests nearby. Her bracelets jingle as she lovingly connects with the sweetgrass, humming as she weaves.
Meaning: The Curandera of Earth knows that when we share the sweetness of life with another, all may thrive. She brings attention to the rich bounty that nature provides, all may thrive. She visits her garden and the wild places often and shares her knowledge freely with her people. Sweetgrass grows best in community with other praiser land plants. She understands, as Robin Wall Kimmerer writes (in Braiding Sweetgrass) “sweetgrass flourishes when it is harvested and declines when it is not.” The Curandera of Earth tends the land out of a heart overflowing. She says, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.” People are drawn to her grounded steady presence. Her counsel brings faith and inspires prosperity.
Crafting with the Curandera of Earth
• Grow sweetgrass at home and support a wild sweetgrass management project.
• Share the joy and abundance of life: host a party, eat good food, braid sweetgrass with friends.
• Bless a home or gathering place: Burn dried sweetgrass braids.
The Herbcrafter’s Tarot by author Latisha Guthrie and artist Joanna Powell Colbert
This seems a strange card for a Monday, but Spirit doesn’t work by the capitalist schedules, does it? Today, take some time to find some stillness and quiet so you can more accurately hear the inner voice and wisdom that you need.
Blessings!
THE HOODED MAN
READING POINTS: The time of the Hooded Man is here. Whether he appears in the guise of an inner guide and mentor or simply as a state of mind, you will understand that now is a time to withdraw and rest. After a long journey through the Wildwood, many emotions and experiences need to be absorbed. This is the beginning of understanding – not just of yourself, but of the universe. The hermit-like Hooded Man appears differently for everyone. Whether through meditation or solitude in the mountains, through prayer or holidaying in a secluded place, his light will illuminate the way to the heart of the endless cycle of being.
DESCRIPTION: A lone hooded figure stand before an ancient oak. It is midwinter. Thick snow covers the ground and the branches of the tree. The Hooded Man is dressed in an evergreen holly and berry cloak. He holds a stout staff in one hand and a lantern to light the pathway in the other. In the great tree is a battered and moss-covered wooden doorway. Through the swollen timbers, a warm light spills into the evening gloom. The inside of the great tree appears inviting, a haven from the chilling air. Above the doorway is a wheel-like wreath of holly and evergreen foliage. On a cold stone rising from the frozen earth, a wren watches and waits.
MEANING: After the trials and tribulations of dealing with the primal forces that confront you on the wheel of the year, a space is needed for stillness and contemplation. For the spiritual warrior or seeker looking for esoteric knowledge, the complex matrix of symbolism and insight may confuse the intellect and shake the reality. The Hooded Man (also known as the Hermit or sometimes the Robin-in-the-Hood, the deeper archetype of the Outlaw of Sherwood Forest) offers a steadfast light in the midwinter world and a steady staff on which to lean and gather your mental resources. His shining lamp illuminates the darkest recesses of fear and incomprehension and guides the way to the doorway that leads into the heart of the great tree. He knows that knowledge is light and sometimes only earned with sacrifice and stoicism. Such things offer admittance to the great mystery of the woodland and show the seekers how they may find the wisdom to advance through the wilder reaches of the forest. Within its ancient heart lie locked countless secrets and the profoundest treasures of wisdom.
The Hooded Man survives even in the cold empty winter landscape because of his wisdom and his will. He is at one with the harshness of the climate because he draws upon the strength of the evergreen holly that that even winter cannot turn to dust and has stored spiritual nourishment to sustain him. He has absorbed the lessons and knowledge that his journey has afforded him; and to those who have followed his path and now are tired an in need of solace, he waits to pass on wisdom, comfort, and guidance.
On a small rock nearby is the wren, the sacred bird of kings, revered as an oracle and a keeper of secret wisdom. The wren is an ancient totem bird that flew highest of all creatures by riding on the back of the great eagle, thus earning itself the title of King of All Birds. It serves as a reminder that the smallest of the Earth’s creatures is capable of soaring to the greatest heights and seeing beyond the furthest horizon.
This time of rebirth is both inward and mystical, and yet outward and universal, beyond the narrow boundaries of human civilization and moral codes.
The Wildwood Tarot by authors Mark Ryan and John Matthews and artist Will Worthington
The bear is not powerful for power’s sake – it is a protective power. Make sure it doesn’t take over all your thinking, but this weekend be protective of yourself, your energy, and your loved ones.
Blessings!
Bear (Art) – Primal Power, Sovereignty, Intuition married with Instinct
Bear connects you with the very deepest of your ancestral roots. Here, at this level, you are in touch with the Primal Mother – the Bear goddess Artio who will defend you fiercely from all danger. You are connected also with the Bear god Artaois, the mighty warrior Arthur, the guiding Pole Star of the Great Bear. Your intuition will never fail you, if you will listen to it in the still darkness of the night. Working with the Bear gives you the opportunity to become a spiritual warrior – like Arthur. You can find the way to come into your power by marrying your strength with your intuition. Integrating your primal power with your intuition means uniting your star-power with your animal-power – and both are symbolized by Art, the Bear.
This card could also be giving you a clear warning that you must take care not to be overwhelmed by the ferocious mother, by the berserk warrior – by forces of anger and primal ferocity that, untempered with the human qualities of compassion and reason, can damage not only your own life, but those of others around you. Art brings a strong presence and great reserves of power, and with perseverance you will be able to integrate your spiritual, intuitive qualities with your primal, instinctual qualities.
The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm, art by Will Worthington
Trees are amazing symbols, and a whole group of them even more so. This card asks us to understand that we too are deep rooted and able to touch the sky at the same time.
Also, you might have noticed that the daily card has been a bit inconsistent in the last few weeks. We have a lot going on in right now in terms of medical stuff, work and family stress, etc, so this might be the norm for a while. Hang in with me, please – I know many of us are dealing with a lot now.
Blessings!
Ancient Forest
Meaning: Your roots go deep. Incredible, radiant, healing strength is available to you and grows within you. Do not doubt your abilities. You’re so much more than you can possibly imagine. There’s immense, unseen – but very real – support around you. You are loved and cherished. You are grounded, stable, and strong as your spirit reach as high into the heavens.
Native Spirit Wisdom: Throughout the world those in indigenous cultures revere what are called the tree people. The powerful life force of trees can bring healing, strengthening, and grounding energy. The kind of tree might vary from culture to culture, but the reverence and gratitude for its beneficial energies are the same. The ancient forest is alive with nature spirits: additionally, its trees have an individual spirit especially powerful and resilient. The force can survive the harshest conditions because of the mutual support of the spirit of the entire forest. Your greatest strength is silent and deep. It doesn’t need to show force – it just is. Inner power is found through contemplation, reflection, and meditation. Sometimes it comes from times of growth and change; other times it springs from surviving and conquering painful situations.
The Journey: Adopt a tree. It could be one in your yard or one in a nearby park or wilderness area. Talk to the tree. That is bark. Give thanks, and by doing so you create an energy connection that will continue to nurture you, no matter how far away you are from your adopted tree.
Native Spirit Oracle by author Denise Lynn and artist Charles McStravick
So often, ignoring taking care of little things turns them into big things. Today is the time to look around and take care of small things; those big things can be overwhelming sometimes anyway. On the flip side, some of us are prone to honing in TOO much on details and forget to relax. Is this you? (It is often me.)
Have a good one!
Mouse Spirit – Attend to the small things
Message: The humble mouse pays attention to the smallest details, and Mouse Spirit calls on you to notice the nuances and the fine print at this time. In your eagerness to meet your goals and pursue your dreams, it’s easy to forget the importance of clear communication and tending to the little things, including people’s subtle signs that they are unhappy as well as the small voice inside of you that says, “This doesn’t feel right.”
Take your time to sniff out what you need to know. Is there some detail or nuance about how you engage others or operate in the world that is key to your success but you’ve dismissed as “nothing big” or “nothing special”? Mouse Spirit remind you that what seems small may be more important and powerful than you think, so look again. Do not underestimate yourself or your potential for co-creating something amazing when you pay attention to the details!
Protection Message: Are you too caught up in details, micromanaging others and stressing out because you want everything to be perfect? Are you procrastinating because you want every detail to be “just right” and losing track of time and your priorities? Mouse Spirit wants you to listen to your intuition that tells you that the the detail you fear you are overlooking will only appear when you stop obsessing.
Mouse Spirit will lead you to the nuances you need to notice and will diligently work to support you if you take a breath and trust that guidance will be provided. Small gestures carry great power right now, and maybe you need to take action toward discovering what is going on that you may not be seeing – or toward mending a relationship or situation. Ask a question, do a little research, and listen for Mouse Spirit’s quiet little squeak telling you, “Look here, and attend to this detail.”
Spirit Animal Oracle by author Colette Baron-Reid and artist Jena DellaGrottaglia
OK, so I snuck the card in today before work – unlike yesterday! Sorry about that, but the newspaper kept my attention for too long yesterday. But today’s card is the Otter as the page of vessels. This creature is playful and mesmerizing, but also represents fair play, devotion, and loyalty. It’s not as hard to embrace these traits as we might think, we simply have to keep honesty at the forefront.
Blessings and have a lovely weekend!
Page of Vessels – Otter
Meaning: Equally at home on land or in water, the Otter’s ability to move between these spheres, perceived as the way between the worlds, made it especially sacred to the Celts. It is also sometimes listed as one of the oldest animals in the story of the rescue of the child god, Mabon.
Reading Points: As a dreamer and a visionary, you weave a spell that few can resist. Your loyalty, devotion, and sense of fair play mark you out as an individual whose will is tempered by a profound understanding of the otherworld.
Tracks & Pathways: Loyalty, devotion, study, willingness to serve, vision and contemplation, co-operation, and perceptiveness
The Wildwood Tarot by Mark Ryan and John Matthews, art by Will Worthington
The Hind is a special card, one that helps us to look beyond the material world and the ego to see what’s truly important. Don’t ignore this because this creature looks gentle – sometimes the gentlest of lessons have the most power.
HIND – SUBTLETY, GRACEFULNESS, FEMINITY
THE CARD: This shows a white hind, or eilid, in the forest in late summer or early fall. Acorns hang heavy from the oaks. The hind calls us to follow her deeper into the forest. Standing in a shaft of sunlight, she appears so elusive we are not even sure if she is of this world.
MEANING:Eilid brings us the gentleness and grace of the feminine principle. Whether you are a male or female, opening to the qualities of the Hind will enable you to achieve a greater degree of sophistication, subtlety, and elegance – in the best possible senses of these terms.
Deer, and the white hind in particular, call to us from the Otherworld, from the realm of Faery, and invite us to look beyond the material, beyond the superficialities of life, toward the heart of things, toward the realm of causes rather than effects. Poised in moonlight or sunlight, Eilid invites us to begin an exploration of the Otherworld, of the spiritual dimension of life.
The Hind may also be warning you to be less self-effacing. Rather than adapting yourself, like a chameleon, to the perceived demands and expectation of those around you, you may need to become more assertive. You may also need to be wary of becoming preoccupied with the Otherworld. Our psychic life has its seasons, and at times it is good and balancing for us to explore the inner mysteries, but at other times it is important for us to focus our awareness on everyday life. You may have reached a time when an interest in the esoteric needs balancing with a period of outer activity. Do not worry that you will lose touch with the Otherworld, for the magical white Hind will always be waiting for you at the edge of the woods, ready to guide you into the heart of the forest.
The Druid Animal Oracle by authors Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm and artist Will Worthington
Parting the Mists 