Archive for June, 2022

Today’s Card: Mourning applies to more than people

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 29, 2022| Leave a Comment »

In our current world, many of us are in mourning – but a collective mourning for rights lost, empathy for others lost, and a world that is teetering closer to a reality most of us will not like. Listening to historian Heather Cox Richardson yesterday, she pointed out that this is also a moment to be creative and to look toward rebuilding our world the way we want it to be. This will take a lot of work and a lot people who are used to being on the sidelines stepping up. But first, I think we should let ourselves mourn what we have lost.

Blessings,

Thistle

Seven of Vessels – Mourning

MEANING: This is a time to honor what is dead and mourn for what has gone. Learn the lesson of letting go by offering thanks for cherished memories and being at peace with the past. 

DESCRIPTION: A human skull painted with an array of designs including spirals, zig-zags and wavy lines, lies at the foot of a tree. Around it are scattered typical grave goods: five cups, and oil lamp, and an offering bowl. 

READING POINTS: Mourning begins the process of recovery after failure or bereavement. This process may even be unconscious, for we often do not realize what things were significant until they are gone. Mourning serves to ritualize the process of being at peace and honor the passing of what is important and significant in a personal relationship. It allows the tidal flow of emotions to rise and fall naturally through the psyche, and bring a sense of closure or completion and peace. This may take time, of course, and some losses are felt more acutely than others as mourning is a very personal and individual process, sometimes taking years to complete. 

In Ireland, the wake exemplifies one way of processing and dealing with loss by turning the ritual into a celebration of life and achievement. The celebration of the completed journey and the beginning of a new one has been a part of the human mourning process since the dawn of time. Whatever the loss, whoever the wake is being held for, let them go with love, and honor their passing with fond memories. Hold the golden, beautiful moments of life close and let their passing not go without a note of reverence for a life fully lived. 

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Energy, passion, healing is expanding into your life

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 28, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Who’s ready for some vitality to enter their life? I am! Remember that gratitude is a great practice for wakening the things this card discusses.

Blessings!

Thistle

Grandfather Sky

Meaning: This is your time to reach for the sky! Expansive energy, vitality, health, healing, and passion – these qualities are expanding in your life. The sky’s the limit. You are a healer and a channel for the life force of the Universe. Your ability to sense energy fields is increasing dramatically. Be prepared to soar to new heights.

Native Spirit Wisdom: When you receive the Grandfather Sky card, you’re entering into an expansive cycle. Do not hold back and repress what you feel; your body and spirit will become drained. If you strive to meet everyone’s expectations, but forget to honor your own needs, your energy field becomes dull. If you allow your emotions and needs the freedom to be spontaneously expressed, waves of incredible energy will expand inside of you. Running on your own resources, it’s easy to become drained; however, letting the divine light of the Creator flow through you easily replenishes your Soul.

The Journey: To deepen your connection to Grandfather Sky and bring an expansive energy into your life, stand outdoors with your arms reaching out to the sky. One of the fastest ways to bring joy and bounty into your life is through gratitude. Allow thankfulness to surge through you up into the heavens.

Native Spirit Wisdom by author Denise Linn and artist Charles McStravick

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Remember to take the good from past, tradition with you

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 27, 2022| Leave a Comment »

While society looks to supersede the past, we shouldn’t forget the lessons we can benefit from when we look to tradition and ancestral memory. Tradition can be changed to serve the present.

Hope everyone’s week brings what you need to keep facing challenges presented and to build the life you need.

Blessings,

Thistle

NINE OF STONES – TRADITION

MEANING: Reverence for past wisdom and sacrifice. The ability to relate to ancient knowledge and pass on the lessons of ancestral memory and ritual. 

DESCRIPTION: In front of a circle of nine tall stones sits the cross-legged, horned figure of the shaman from the Gunderstrup Cauldron, hands raised, with the serpent of wisdom in one hand and the torque of lordship in the other. Above the scene, a full moon rises. 

READING POINTS: Whenever we reach back into antiquity with sincere reverence and respect, seeking insight and wisdom, we commune directly with both the esoteric and practical memory of the human species. The myths, rituals, and traditions of past tribes remain imprinted on the human psyche. Whether you believe this to be the effect of morphic resonance or the spiritual echo of past lives dedicated to the reverence of the Otherworld, the mystical traditions have a real purpose and meaning that you can draw upon, even in our frantic modern world. Through the study of ancient mystical traditions, we see how closely linked we are with the past and how little we have changed as a species. We are still driven by the primal needs and fears that faced the first humans. We still look at the night sky with wonder and awe. We still look at the ocean and feel the pull of the unknown. To reach back and invite past traditions to enlighten and enrich your life is to draw on ancient strengths that are freely available to those seeking wisdom, sustenance and consolation. 

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Wasp’s pain offers insight, brighter future

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 24, 2022| Leave a Comment »

“…but with the sweets, comes the sour.” – Aunt Jet, Practical Magic

Though this deck tends to be gentle, there is often a good reason for pain. It tells us, physically, when we are in danger. Mentally and spiritually, it can teach us lessons – as long as we are open to it. Life will never be perfectly happy (don’t let all the folks on social media posting their “perfect” lives make you believe otherwise), and we must learn to take our downs with our ups.

Blessings and have a good weekend,

Thistle

Wasp Spirit – Sometimes, life stings

Message: Not all that Spirit creates in nature is easy to love, but when we look through the eyes of Wasp Spirit, we recognize that even though sometimes life stings, there is a purpose for pain just as there is a purpose for wasps in the natural world. Wasps keep insect populations down, supporting the growth of plants. So, too, the sting of life may hurt and you may feel deeply disappointed or even resentful that Wasp Spirit has shown up, but you will soon come to see that Spirit has something wonderful in store for you. You may come to realize that being stung led to something far better than you had envisioned for yourself. Perhaps, behind the scenes, Wasp was conspiring with Spirit to ensure that you could grow something of value to you. Spirit has a plan, and Wasp Spirit plays a part.

Have you ever looked back and been glad your prayers weren’t answered because the path you took led to something far better? Wasp is a reminder to reflect on those times, for today’s sting may hurt, but something better awaits you.

Protection Message: Are you holding on to anger, jealousy, or resentment because you got stung? Or could you have just stung yourself by comparing yourself to others? There will always be someone else who is more successful, happier, thinner, riches, etc. Jealousy is the false belief that you can’t have what you want or someone could take away something that was supposed to be yours. Let it go and release all those feelings that are making the sting hurt long after the stinger has been removed. Wasp Spirit has woken you up, and now you are called to trust that this too shall pass and is already doing so, for the pain subsides when you stop telling the story of how much it hurt.

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Woad connects to creativity, warrior spirit

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 23, 2022| Leave a Comment »

As the card description explains, the warrior spirit does not always have to be used for war literally. We sometimes have to fight for the time, space, and right (in others’ eyes anyway) to create, to rest, and many other things that our souls need. Use this warrior spirit carefully though or you may cut the connections you need to further your goals.

Woad – Freedom, Bardistry, Warriorhood

The card shows Woad flowers in detail in the foreground, and a mature plant grows proudly beside a spear, symbolizing Woad’s connection with warriorhood; this is enhanced by the carving of the boar in the rock behind. Spears were often made with the wood of Holly – Tinne in Ogham, the Celtic tree alphabet – and we can see the unmistakeable outline of Holly leaves in the tree above.

Meaning: Nothing evokes the feeling of freedom more than the sight of a clear blue sky, and Woad dye reproduces this shade of blue perfectly on cloth or in paint. I you have chosen this card, it may indicate that you are striving to gain freedom, and the fact that Woad evokes the qualities of both bardistry and warriorhood offers a clue as to the way forward. Bardistry is the art of the Bard, who in the old days was Druid storyteller, poet, or musician. Each of us has a Bard, a Creative Self, within us, and this card suggests that true freedom comes when you are able to give full expression to your creativity. To do this, you sometimes need the energy of a warrior not to wound others but to provide you with the aggression, ambition, and single-mindedness to achieve your aim. Without these qualities, it is hard to avoid stifling your creativity with concern for others’ needs and doubts about your own abilities.

Alternatively: Astrologers assign Saturn, the planet of structure and limitation, to Woad, and  this card could mean that the structure around you is hindering rather than helping you. Perhaps you are feeling wounded or hampered by obstacles; longing for freedom from the limitations around you. If this is the case, it may be of help to turn this card around and gaze at the image upright – particularly at the sky. Rather than talking about what you want freedom from, think about what you want freedom for. Finish the sentence “I want the freedom to. . . .” If you are able to find goals that make your heart sing, the very things that seemed to be standing in your way can become stepping stones the lead to a flowering of your creativity. In the same way, if you feel wounded, although it is important not to deny that awareness, it may be helpful now to shift your focus from the wound to what you can give to the world.

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Take up projects, creativity with the Green Man – but be respectful

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 22, 2022| Leave a Comment »

We haven’t seen this serious but generous figure in a while. It’s quite timely, as many of us gather energy from the time of the summer solstice. Don’t waste that energy – get busy with projects that are important to you and prime the pump of your creativity.

Blessings!

Thistle

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Happy Daisy says focus on family

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 21, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Remember that family doesn’t always mean biological family. Many of us create one of a combination of bio family and dear friends – the keywords and phrases below mentions “kith and kin.” Most people don’t realize that kith refers familiar friends and neighbors as well as relatives. So take time to appreciate your family, the people who support your through the difficult times as well as the happy, easy times.

Blessed Solstice!

Thistle

Daisy – Family Matters

Keywords & Phrases: Domestic happiness, hearth and home, close family ties, motherhood and fatherhood, caring for our loved ones, and kith and kin

Meaning: In this picture we see elegant Daisy surrounded by her equally appealing children. It is an animated scene but not a sentimental one. One child turns towards us wearing an expression of something that is perhaps anxiety or sadness. Another child in the background is more sketchy, and has not even been colored in. The children are all different and, so we can assume, are their relationships with their mother. Some may be closer to her than others, yet she seems to be caring for everyone.

There is no such thing as a purely happy family — beware of people who say there’s is — but we do sometimes worry unnecessarily in this respect. Other people’s families can seem happier, less confrontational, more normal than our own. But the truth is that most families have aspects to them, both good and bad, that are not apparent to outsiders.

No one chooses the family they are born into; this is a matter of luck. But as adults we can create, up to a point, the family we would like. It might consist of the conventional heterosexual couple, with or without children, but this is only one definition of the word. Ask yourself: who do I belong with? Family might mean people who are not connected you by blood at all: you may decide you belong with other people who are artists, or all the hippies or astronomers or keen gardeners who live you r particular town or region. The crucial thing is to be nourished emotionally and spiritually by these people, and to provide nourishment and support in return. Like any family, they may sometimes sadden or enrage you, but at their best they are worth their weight in gold.

Original Flower Language & Meaning: Innocence; Plain without pomp, and rich without a show. – Dryden

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

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Look for signs of the future

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 17, 2022| Leave a Comment »

OK, so perhaps I was drawn to the Halloween Oracle because I’m reading a summery horror novel right now (Ghoul by Brian Keene), but we do need to looking after our future, even if Beltaine is six weeks behind us and Samhain months away. Being prepared for difficult times may not seem like fun, but it’s nice when the difficult times arrive – and the current world situation suggests hard times may keep coming for many of us. Be prepared and look for hints of things to come, personally and globally.

Blessings!

Thistle

THE VEIL – The Future

There is a misty curtain
That divides us all
The veil that this night thins
Transparent the weave becomes
And the future no longer dims

The ancient Celts used to call the time of the longest night of the year, Samhain (pronounced SOW-en). They believed that there was a misty veil that separated the world of the dead and the living, but on two nights of the year, Samhain and Beltaine (the shortest night), that the veil would thin.

The fineness of the veil meant the ancestors were closer than ever and even gods would be close. This would mean that communications from the dead were more likely to occur and that divination (where the Divine speaks through something) would be more effective.

So while using this oracle, as the veil lifts, know that the other worlds are close. Listen in particular to what messages may come forth about your future. Look to what you want to happen: plan, set intentions, think big!

The Halloween Oracle by author Stacey Demarco and artist Jimmy Manton

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Delight in the world and create your life with Clarkia

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 16, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Sorry to be posting so late today, but we went out early to pick blueberries at a farm in the area. It will be in the upper 90s today, so it was important to get there early! We’ve got about 10 pounds of berries to start making jam and desserts with, but we sometimes need to go back for a bit more.

Today’s card takes up the baton for Monday’s card (California poppy) with the idea of bringing joy into your life. There’s a lot of stress in the world right now, and many are struggling with increased prices. In times like these, we need to learn to embrace simple joys and remember that we don’t have to spend a lot to be happy. Joy isn’t tied to vacations and retail therapy, though our society tries to tell us that it is.

Blessings!

Thistle

Clarkia – Delight

You are a powerful creator. You can harness the energy that surrounds you to manifest the life you want. Allow joy and delight to lead the way.

Guidance: Are there ways you are blocking joy and love from your life? Once you clear these blocks you clear the path for great joy. Take a moment as you move through your day – really stop – and look around you. Feel joyful. Be truly grateful for all of the abundance you have in your life.

Channeled Message: Showered by sparkling light – a fairy, a light being suddenly stops in front of me – a spark of giggling light. I feel joy. Joy to be alive, to feel the sunlight and the breeze, joy to be flowering and reaching upward, growing, feeling the life force of the Earth running through my veins. I feel the life pulse of the planet, the Universe, vibrating through me. I am the Clarkia. It has always been this way, the Earth, the Universal energy of love and harmony moving through all beings of the Earth plane. As above, so below. A mirroring of energy. Humans have the potential to live this way again – to allow joy and happiness to lead the way. Be totally present to the magnificent energy of the Universe floating through you. You are a powerful creator who can harness the energy that surrounds you to manifest the life you want. You must trust that the Universe has your back.

Origins and Meanings: Named in honor of Captain William Clark, of the Lewis & Clark expedition. Meaning: your conversation delights me.

Traditional Uses: Foliage and flowers used for green and gold natural dyes. Seeds are edible. The flowers are hermaphrodite (male and female).

Alchemy Flower Oracle by Ingrid Koivukangas

Read Full Post »

Today’s Card: Ant is back to encourage connections, teamwork

Posted in daily card reading, tagged , on June 15, 2022| Leave a Comment »

OK, it seems that I draw this card A LOT, and I clear this deck on a regular basis. My takeaway is that people often do not seek help and partnership when they should. Don’t forget there are those around us who may compliment our skills, talents, and personality when we are endeavoring to create something. So reach out and find them to help achieve mutual goals.

Blessings!

Thistle

Ant Spirit – Time to Collaborate

Message: When Ant Spirit comes to visit, it’s to celebrate the benefits of working in a partnership with others as part of a community or tribe. Spirit reminds you that to build your dream, you need to work with others, accept help, and trust in your most important partnership – the one you have with Spirit. Your intentions will come to fruition if you remain awake and focused on co-creating your reality with others and with Spirit. Remember that the world around you can easily seduce you if you don’t have some sort of practice or discipline like meditation to keep you on track as you build the life you desire. Connecting with others and having accountability partners can be very helpful, as it’s unlikely that everyone will fall asleep at the same time.

The other message Ant holds is that you are now at an auspicious time to ask for help and receive it, whether you need help assembling a team, finding a new tribe, or requesting assistance from others who are there for you. Everything is working to support you right now!

Protection Message: Do you really believe that you have to do everything yourself? Do you believe that, somehow, any help you get will be disappointing or not good enough? Perhaps it is time to address your issues of control and bias toward the negative. It doesn’t matter where or why you came to be pessimistic or mistrustful. The fact that Ant Spirit is showing up now is a sign that you have an opportunity to heal and to relearn to trust that others will show up for you in a genuine way. Ant Spirit wants you to remember that your expectations and limiting beliefs are a vibrational offering that draws in the opposite of what you desire. Spirit want to help you and will send collaborative partners your way. It’s time to see the universe as conscious and connected, loving and helpful, but you must participate in this activity of co-creation. Creating reality is not just about dreaming!

If you are feeling orphaned from community, reach out and communicate. If you feel vulnerable, know that being present in your vulnerability can help you draw in someone who wants to assist you. Trust in your partnership with Spirit, and your outer conditions will start to reflect that. Then you will see the miracles waiting for you, including partners who appear ready to lend a hand!

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

Read Full Post »

Older Posts »

%d bloggers like this: