7 of Skulls: A Poem

Yesterday I took a brief reprieve from the Shadow Work October challenge and pulled a card-of-the-day from the Tarot of Vampyres deck (which I'm enjoying quite a bit!). I pulled:

7 of Skulls

Tarot of Vampyres 

As I was pondering the imagery - the werewolf girl clinging to a post (in what almost looks like a graveyard, except that it is not), apples strewn about on the ground before her - words started to dance about in my head, and before I knew it I'd composed a short, lyrical poem:

Where have you come from, 

and where are you going? 

Are the seeds that you planted long ago 

still growing? 

Measure, inhale, think, repeat. 

Temper, calibrate, exhale, reap. 

I am indeed doing quite a bit of review, thoughtful consideration, and planning - probably just as much today as yesterday! As I sit and make lists, and ponder, I realize that I start to hold my breath. So one of the subtle aspects of this card that I will take with me is that, as I go about my calculations and consider how I want to move forward, I must remember to breathe!

Easter Tidings: A Call for Healing

Today is Easter. While not all celebrate it, I find that most holidays have something positive to offer everyone, if we take the time to look. For today I decided to pull a card or two on the following question:

"What is the essence of Easter time?"

I drew a single card from the Wildwood Tarot, and an additional card from the Halloween Oracle:

7 of Stones - Owl

Wildwood Tarot (W. Worthington, M. Ryan, J. Matthews)
Halloween Oracle (S. Demarco, J. Manton)

I found it to be an interesting draw, in part because both cards have some important elements in common. Both call us to pause a moment, to reflect on what is happening in our lives, so that our responses, decisions, and path forward will be a product of our wisest, most thoughtful selves, rather than our impulses.

An important element of the Wildwood 7 of Stones is that of healing and forgiveness. What weight of regret, sorrow or pain are you carrying in your heart and soul, and how can you accept it and let it go so that you may become a happier, healthier person? This card highlights the importance of making time in your life for quiet reflection and careful consideration; making space to nurture yourself.

The owl is often seen in the Justice card in the Tarot, as associated with Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and war. The owl asks you to detach yourself from your emotional reactions and responses, and view your circumstances with an objective eye. You are far harder on yourself than you would be on others. Owl asks you to be as fair with yourself as you are with those you relate to; honor your experiences for the wisdom they've given you, add the notches to your belt, and then keep walking on.

Where are you now? Where do you want to be? What road(s) will take you there?

These cards resonate well with Easter's sense of renewal. Springtime as a whole is a time of shedding our old skins and embracing fresh perspectives, mindsets, and possibilities. Many households will throw windows ajar to allow the brisk breeze to whisk stale, inside air out and away, as "spring cleaning" ensues - out with the old, in with the new. Easter is a wonderful time for inner spring cleaning as well - what's holding you back? What burdens are pulling you down? What "should haves" are still buzzing around your head?

Today is a great day to commit yourself to personal wisdom, healing and renewal.

Imbolc Blog Hop 2014 - Tarot Healing and Creativity

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Welcome to the Imbolc 2014 Blog Hop! To access the blog of Arwen Lynch, click on "Previous," and to move on to Shauna Aura Knight, click on "Next." If at any point you'd like to see a full participant list, click on "Master"!

Our theme for this hop is "Tarot, Healing and Creativity," per our wondrous wrangler Christiana Gaudet from Tarot Trends. The title of my blog is "Tarot Healing", rather than "Tarot, Healing…" I made this subtle edit to highlight even more intentionally the healing benefits accessible through use of tools of divination.

First I thought I'd start off by talking about some Tarot cards that come to my mind most immediately when I think of "healing," and then I'll end with a short spread I put together with this theme of "healing through divination" in mind….

Four cards that speak of healing to me:

7 Stones, Wildwood Tarot

One aspect of the 7 of Pentacles relates to the benefits of taking time out to assess where you've come from and where you're headed.  This version from the Wildwood Tarot speaks of this brief "time out", and adds a healing twist. When I see this card it reminds me of the dangers of becoming so absorbed with your work that you forget to replenish your energies, and serves as a reminder of your true intent and purpose.

Wildwood Tarot
Matthews/Ryan/Worthington - Sterling Ethos

4 Swords, Deviant Moon Tarot

I like the 4 of Swords in general, but the depiction in the Deviant Moon is by far my favorite of all time. It speaks of burying yourself in the cool, dark, nurturing soil of the earth, letting that healing force support your rest and recuperation, giving you much needed time to realign yourself and re-assess your path ahead.

Deviant Moon Tarot
Patrick Valenza - US Games

Star, Vision Quest Tarot

I suppose this card's healing properties go without saying: pure faith, optimism, love, flowing energy and the knowledge that we're not alone, after all - we are all being guided. I like the inclusion of the Heron/Egret in this card, which brings to mind the idea of identifying our inner truths, and trusting that we are being led unerringly to where we need to be.

Vision Quest Tarot
Winter/Dose - US Games

Rebirth/Great Bear/Judgement

Really, there is nothing more healing than acknowledging and accepting your calling, finding the ability to be your true self, to give yourself the permission to be who you are meant to be, and to find courage to fulfill your purpose, whatever that happens to be.

DruidCraft Tarot
Carr-Gomm/Worthington - St. Martin's Press

3 Sisters Healing Spread

This is a spread I planned out in my sleep several weeks ago, and titled when I was awake (I am guessing I'm not the only person that this happens to??). When I think of the 3 Sisters I usually think of "corn, beans and squash." And some cultures believe the Sun to be male energy (though some, like in Norse mythology, see the Sun as female). For some reason that's the title that occurred to me, so I'm going with it!

Moon: What we must acknowledge in order to allow for healing to commence

Sun: The power/strength we draw from to help illuminate our shadow; the positive force behind our healing journey

Star: What guides us forward, inspires us onward, encourages our healing process over the long-term

Peace out, Happy Taroting, and Creative Healing to all!

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Daily Draw - Reviewing Results

So today my daily draw was the 7 of Pentacles.  Again, it took me a little time to get my ahead around it.  I always think of these cards as being my advice for the day, or in some way representing the theme I'll be experiencing.  As mentioned before, I've been dealing with an issue of plagiarism with one of my students, and the resulting consequences for him, and in a way for me (I am treading new ground, here, because I've never had to deal with a problem of this nature before).

The problem has been solved, technically, but then it was still in a state of uncertainty about how to implement the solution that had been decided upon - again, new territory.  Now things seem to be coming together. The path wasn't easy, but today I'm starting to feel like things have finally been sorted out, and my questions about how things would work out practically have been answered, in a positive way.  The work the student has to do for the rest of the current semester is being completed (with me as a guide), and I'm spending time reflecting on how we got here, while at the same time feeling relieved that all the wrinkles have been ironed out.

This is what the 7 of Pentacles is telling me: a time of reflection; no longer needing to be spending so much time getting everything worked out; seeing the positive results of the negative situation, including all the work I put into it (emotional and mental).  I'll take it!

Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot