happy to see the hermit

Daily Draw, Anna K Tarot, The Hermit.  

I took a photo of a lantern yesterday and here he is the lantern carrier although depicted here with a candle. Being a double hermit (this is my life and birth card) it is always a sigh moment when this card shows up. This version I find especially beautiful. Those wonderful wonderful blue tones...

The rain is lashing down outdoors with the odd crack of thunder. This together with the appearance of this card reminds me I am fortunate to have a place of stillness, a mini retreat from the world. Today I am tucked up with mug of tea reading Sepulchre by Kate Mosse - a novel which features a mysterious deck of tarot cards. There is a difference between solitude and loneliness. 

Loneliness is the poverty of self; solitude is richness of self.

May Sarton, 1912-1995

Centering

Daily Draw, The Wheel of Fortune.

Ups and downs, light and shade. All part of the tapestry of life. The wheel of life turns slowly at times. Sometimes it needs to turn more quickly. If you've ever tried to slowly fill a bobbin on a sewing machine you will know the need to regulate the speed. Too slow and the result is a knotty, loopy mess, too fast and the bobbin spins out of control altogether. 

This wheel is not simply turning but being spun. The Crone's kindly face suggests the change is for the best. As she spins she places her right hand on the wheel perhaps to steady it. Or maybe this is a clue for the woman trying to ride the wheel? The closer we are to the centre the smoother the ride. 

Queenly self care

Daily Draw, Anna K Tarot: Queen of Pentacles. 

This lady is a down to earth queen. She offers practical advice for all manner of collywobbles. Eat well, take some exercise outdoors, get an early night. A natural nurturer she knows the importance of fresh linen on the bed, a candlelit bathroom, clothes laid out for the morning. Such things are easily overlooked when we are overworked, tired or stressed but that is exactly the time to practice little acts of self care. 

Cycles

Daily Draw: Anna K Tarot, The High Priestess

Like the moons in the card everything occurs in cycles. Difficult times will pass and better times come around again, and on and on...Blessed with this wisdom the High Priestess can sit in stillness observing change with compassion. Time to reach deep into the well within rather than trying to alter change from without. 

even if you are a small forest surviving off of
moon alone
your light is extraordinary

- reminder 

Nayyirah Waheed. 

Frozen

Daily Draw, Anna K Tarot: Three of Swords. 

In the bitter cold he's walked a mile to offer her his heart and now it breaks. For her more than himself. His face is full of concern as she trudges through the snow away from the home he wanted to share with with her. He can't see but her heart is breaking too. She loves him but fears her wounded self will become a burden to him. She would rather carry those heavy swords alone. What is the hardest thing? When you want so much to love someone back to life and they won't let you? Or when you walk away from a loving soul for their own good? 

medicinal

Daily Draw, The Green Witch Tarot, The Sidhe/Temperance

This potion maker has all the ingredients, tools and resources she needs to create something magical. Her work being subtle alchemy she's fully focused on the task, paying attention to infinitesimal interactions of each addition to the pot. To an observer she appears patient yet being immersed a state of flow time does not weigh heavy on her. The moon is high and still she continues. 

Traditionally this is a card of balance and healing. For me this means applying the imagery of this rendition quite literally. To light more candles, read books and learn about medicinal herbs and essential oils.  

burn softly

Daily Draw: Green Witch Tarot, The Sun

After the lord of shadows here comes the sun...I'm a little concerned about the eagle in this card who looks to be repeating the error of Icarus...

 

The cosy cottage symbolises contentment, harmony and comfort. The stones and the cart suggest that the residence is the outcome of hard work. A fair amount of material success is needed to purchase a home in such an idyllic location. Yet the card also speaks of the importance of physical wellbeing which is easily forgotten in and amongst out daily commitments. Allowing ourselves to burn out is irresponsible to ourselves and those who rely on us. The card reminds me of the need to make a haven, right where we are now, however small and attend to self-care. There may be peace and even joy to be found in small things like the soft light of a candle and an oil in the burner. 

dark to light

Daily Draw, The Green Witch Tarot, The Lord of Shadows.

The moth in this card is moving from darkness to light. I suppose quite apt for an eclipse day. Or should it be the other way around - moving from light into shadow? 

This card sometimes speaks of abrupt endings - which it is human to fear. I tend to prefer a gentler fade in fade out approach to life's changes. This Lord is patient but where there is stagnation or lack of growth he arrives with his besom to make a clean sweep. Through cleansing new optimism arises. Negative influences are removed enabling positive ones to enter. As the guidebook states 'old situations give way to new ones, and the past is left behind as a person moves on, released from prior commitments'. The yew tree in the image represents renewal, the lunar moth symbolises transition. This card is growing on me...

She's back again

Daily Draw, The Green Witch Tarot, Nine of Chalices

I drew this card earlier in the week and now she's back. My earlier guidebook inspired thoughts were of intuition, intention, aligned energy and hope. I wonder if there is something else I'm missing? Or if is she asking me to reflect more deeply on those attributes. She is quite a glamorous lady, perhaps she just wants me to put some make up on and do my hair? 

Another funny ting looking back over the blog the last four cards are in the numerical sequence 6, 7, 8, 9. Maybe something in that? 

tarot tomfoolery

Daily Draw: Green Witch Tarot, Eight of Wands 

According to the guidebook this is a card of good career news coming swiftly. So that got a loud harrumph this morning. And then...

I got home to find I have won a place on an art, journaling and oracle class on Instagram with proper tuition from practicing artists. Woohoo! Looked again at the book - good news from a distance - tick! Good news about a creative venture - tick number two! I'll take that. 

Pootling around on the web I found a quiz - what kind of tarot reader are you. It was fun. The profile I got included a five card spread which includes your personal tarot journey, strengths, opportunities for growth, blocks and guidance needed. I wanted to post but then I will use up all my cards of the week...anyway if interested the link is here: http://ethony.com/tarottutorials/

I am glad I have this tarot tomfoolery hobby. Wishing all a happy weekend. 

Fidget brain

Daily Draw: Green Witch Tarot, Seven of Pentacles

This card indicates that progress is being made on a long term project but there is still a fair bit to do. As a project nears completion there might be an impulse to rush or even to quit altogether. Cutting corners might undo to the labour already invested. Patience is needed to see the work through. Although there are limits. How much polish does a pentacle need?  I'm reminded of my reading in Whitby earlier this year in which the reader was insistent - 'finish what you've started so you can move onto something new'. 

Apparently the skullcap plant is for focus. Researching that led me to find this list of the top herbs for anxiety and depression organic facts  Which I can't take as they would probably interact with my current prescription...Oh my poor fidget brain. The focus fact was enough. 

Pink petals

Daily Draw: Green Witch Tarot, Six of Wands


Hmm what's going on here? A moral victory over a military one? Not all those faces look wholeheartedly happy for this guy (even his own smile looks a bit fixed) and we can't see the soldiers' expression at all. Are they there of their own volition or were they ordered to be. I wonder if the rider chose his fancy costume which contrasts so with the plain dress of the observers or if he was told to wear it. 

For now I am going to focus on the sparrow and the pink petals. Time to get out in the garden among the birds with my paints. 

Water dancer

Daily draw: Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Ace of Cups.

The water dancer. Connecting with the water and her family members brings her great joy. Like all the aces this card is a gift,  this one signifying time to refresh the soul and heal the heart. It holds out the promise of emotional renewal and a fresh start. Off to channel otter's playful and joyful energy...

History

Daily Draw: The Hierophant. 

There is history here both embodied in the person of the teacher and objectified in the amber around his neck - a substance filled with all the knowledge of the past. He teaches ancient knowledge in understandable bites and leads his students to weave that knowledge into their own experiences, histories, beliefs so they create their own wisdom. This history lesson got me thinking that higher education was not always what it is now, it was once different and it could be different again. I miss my old professors, every teacher needs a teacher.

Pause and breathe

Daily Draw: Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Two of Pentacles, Knight of Pentacles

I rejected the two at first assuming it was about juggling which I don't feel able to do at the moment. Then drew the Knight went back to the book and the text revealed the cards similar energies. This knight doesn't believe in taking action for the sake of taking action. He balances intense inner drive with great patience. It is easy to mistake his steadiness for indifference or laziness. Yet actually lack of drama does not mean a lack of dedication. When the time is right he can be relied upon to do exactly the right thing using the resources and energy to hand. 

Similarly the two advocates a slow, balanced approach. Breathe, slow down, pay attention. Where there are conflicting demands it is better (although undoubtedly hard) to choose to do one thing well rather than attempt too many things and fail at everything. Maintaining awareness and responding rather than reacting is the message of these cards. Perhaps if I had paused to breathe this morning I'd have noticed there is no juggling here.  

Plenty to go around

Daily Draw: Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Six of Pentacles

I was going to photograph this with an apple from the tree except there are none. The birds ate them. To be fair they have been very well behaved up to now. For years we have allowed the apples to grow large and fall without harvesting them. I can understand why this year the birds thought 'well what the hey' and gobbled them up. I don't mind. This card lets us know there is plenty to go around. If we have something to spare it is good to share. Whether giver or receiver or both (as is often the case) all involved get to feel good.  

Nurture through nature

Daily Draw: Tarot of the Hidden Realm, Ten of Cups

Spirals of steam carry the essences of lavender, rose and frankincense filling the air with peace and promise. She harvested these plants with her own hands and blended them with water from her sacred spring. She invites the healing properties of these plants into her life and as she sings they begin to release their magic. With skilful motions she moves her hands to summon blessings for her loved ones. 

As the guidebook says life is full of moments of love and connection - some fleeting, some enduring for a lifetime. Some are effervescent, others deep and still. Commingled in a life they create a wholesome existence. This is the promise of the ten of cups. If we no longer have an elder in our lives bestowing such familial blessings perhaps it is time to become more like the lady in this card - nurturing relationships in our lives and the lives of those around us. 

After a week of anxiety fuelled rumination doing myself and those around me no good at all I got a wake up call in the form of an oracle reading on insta. Healing was the message so today as a family/pack K, Roger, Barney and I went for a long woodland walk. It felt good. What can you do today to nurture yourself and those around you?