The Empress and a Paleo-esque Approach to Food

Yesterday morning I drew the Empress from the Pagan Otherworlds Tarot just prior to leaving the house. It's always a pleasure to see her, and I felt her quietly asking the question: How are you taking care of yourself?

The answer of late is: not as well as I might! I haven't been sleeping as well as I would like, and for quite a while now I've been contemplating a change in food patterns - I just hadn't really made an effort to implement anything. I don't eat poorly by any means, but I am sure I consume more sugar than I probably should, and I often don't have a proper meal until dinner time on weekdays because I don't take the time to prepare a nutritious breakfast or lunch for myself. I'm busy, but that's not really an excuse. I hadn't found the right mindset.

I've heard so much about the Paleo style of eating over the past few years, where grains, dairy, legumes, and starch-heavy foods are eliminated in favor of a diet high in animal proteins, nuts/seeds, vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats (such as olive/avocado/coconut oils). It's true that protein helps curb hunger and cravings (as well as helping the body's metabolism and energy levels), and high levels of carbs do lead to weight gain and energy spikes/crashes. So yesterday I decided to investigate the Paleo diet in more depth, and ended up printing out a long list of recommended and discouraged foods to pore over. Turns out we already eat quite a lot of the foods on the list, so adopting a Paleo-style diet wouldn't be a drastic change, in most respects. But we do consume a lot of carbs and dairy! Rather than assume a full Paleo diet, I wanted to let these nutritional concepts influence and guide our way of eating. I won't eliminate all grains from the house, but if we have rice or pasta as a part of our dinner, I will simply choose not to eat it, or I'll only take a tiny portion in favor of larger servings of vegetables and proteins. We can also shift to brown rice, quinoa, barley, buckwheat, etc, which offer so much more in terms of vitamins and minerals. I won't get rid of dairy altogether, but I can reduce the quantity of cheese I eat, for example. So while it won't be a true Paleo diet, it will be "Paleo-esque"! Ultimately it's about being more mindful about food and nutrition.

Roasted vegetables and lamb

Last night I spent some time cutting up broccoli, beets, sweet potatoes, cauliflower, onion, and red bell pepper. I added them to a glass baking pan with avocado oil, salt, and a little black pepper, and let them roast for a while. Instead of rice or regular potatoes, we had this veggie hash as the primary component of our dinner, along with lamb. It was delicious, filling, and satisfying, and I felt "light" afterwards. Today I carved out space in my morning routine to prepare a turkey and avocado sandwich with a very small amount of a good cheddar cheese. I washed strawberries and put them in a plastic Tupperware, and packaged up sliced apples in a sandwich bag. This sounds pretty standard as far as lunches go, but it was a pretty big deal for me. So here is to embracing Empress-energy, and taking better care of my body!

The Need for Mothering

This morning I was feeling rather tender. Well, to be honest, I was feeling a bit tender last night as well. That sort of ambiguous sensitivity that makes you want to shut the door on the world, curl up in a ball, and drink loads of tea. It is subtle, though, that feeling; it creeps in around the edges of consciousness, such that each movement in the process of dressing, or in the simple preparation of toasted bread, becomes ever so slightly heavy. And then, *ah* - an inner acknowledgment that what I needed more than anything was to be mothered.

I wanted Ochun and Yemaya to bathe me in sweet and briny waters. I wanted to curl up in honeyed arms, and have my hair stroked by firm and gentle ocean hands.

I wanted mothering. So when I brewed my morning tea I added elder berries to the herbal mix. Elder has always felt like the earthiest and most prototypical mother tree. Perhaps it's because it tends to so many common ailments, like coughs, colds, and the flu. Perhaps it is because nearly the entire tree offers itself up for our wellbeing.

As it steeped I continued my last few tasks in preparation for the day ahead, and just before heading back to the kitchen to pour myself a steaming travel mug full of herbal blessings I decided to pull a card from the Tarot of Vampyres (which generally sits out on my bedside table). I shuffled briefly, and I cut with one hand; I didn't ask a question, I simply poured my sentiments, like tea, into the cards. And then, there was the Empress, reflecting back to me my needs and desires, and letting me know that in one way or another, she had her arms around me.

Truth and Humor in the Cards

Today the cards caused me to laugh appreciatively. This is always a good thing.

I'm home this weekend with my little ones. These days we are a one-vehicle family. While I like the savings (no extra car payment or insurance or gas, etc.) and the lowered carbon footprint, it can at times present certain challenges. My husband was called away this weekend to help a friend in need, so the kids and I are spending a day or two thoroughly at home. With no transportation save our feet, our ability to explore the wider world is fairly limited. Early September in central Florida sees daytime temperatures rise into the stifling 90s (around 35 celsius) which is simply not conducive to being active outdoors (best times for that are early morning and later evening), so creativity is crucial. 

Prisma Visions Tarot/J. Eads

I pulled the Empress for my day today, and isn't that the truth! I am fully engaged in mother-mode. I was up at 6:30am putting bacon in the oven and throwing some waffles together. The cinnamon-laced coffee was brewing, and before the children woke, and before I sat down to enjoy a hot cuppa, I snuck outside and stole a few moments in the back yard taking pictures of the sunlight filtering through the flowers and greenery. This brings to mind the reason why I adore this version of the Empress.... she is sheathed in a dress of leaves, and appears entirely in her element surrounded by the energy of the wild. 

A great way to combat cabin fever is to come up with some interesting activities, and being slightly at a loss for novel ideas (reading, game-playing, toy organizing, Legos, movie watching, drawing, etc. only keeps the babes entertained for so long, after all), I decided to pull a card, asking: "What should we do today?"

Prisma Visions Tarot/J. Eads

Yes, I pulled none other than the Strawberries, that extra Major card from the Prisma Visions that I never remove from the deck, and yet still rarely see. And yet today it appeared, and I had to laugh. Yesterday at the grocery store I bought a large box of strawberries! I munched on a few, but was a bit worried that they would start to mold faster than they could be consumed. So when I saw this card I knew what I had to do: I sent the kids to find a good strawberry-based recipe and in a few minutes the four of us will be in the kitchen making some culinary magic! ;-)

The Earthy Power of the Empress

This morning I drew the Empress from my Stone Tarot deck. I absolutely love the rich, vibrant colors, and the slight imperfections in the proportions which give so many of the cards in this deck an earthy, rustic, handcrafted quality that attracts me so much. My favorite detail is the way in which the stars around her head appear to radiate light.

I've pulled the Empress many times over the past few months, and I like being in her company. There are many facets to her energy, and the theme of "motherhood" often comes to mind. Mother of children, of crafts, of ideas and special projects, mother of earth's rich bounty.

Stone Tarot/A. Stone

Incidentally, about five minutes after pulling this card, my son came to me complaining of an "ouchie" on his leg, so we went together to my herb shelf and I smoothed some homemade calendula salve onto his skin. The connection to the Empress was not lost on me, and in fact I was just considering this perhaps a week ago: the joy and satisfaction of being able to care for my family through the aid of the natural realm. One day not long ago I found myself soothing small wounds, and making herbal teas to help treat an upper respiratory infection that had afflicted a couple of the people in my home. As I moved from kitchen to herb cupboard, from person to person, I was filled with a certain empowerment that comes from being able to do something productive when one you love is not well. This is rich with Empress energy.

My herb shelf: salve, lemon balm, elder flowers (O. Destrades)

There is another quality of the Empress that is less spoken of: she is a leader. Of course, her very name denotes a woman of power but in Tarot we tend to think of the Emperor as in control of order - the great architect that provides structure to our lives. The Empress is a ruler, too, however. While she does, to some extent, consider form and structure (just as the Emperor does have a heart for humanity), her primary strength lies in her people-centered approach: wisdom, kindness, strength, caring and advocating for others in the context of larger organizations.

I have indeed found myself doing quite a bit of advocating in the past week, working diligently to make sure that the voices of my colleagues were heard by those in 'high places.' I was pleasantly rewarded with the satisfaction of finding a way to bridge the expectations of management with the needs of the faculty, a sensation very similar to the one I experience when applying carefully crafted salves to my children's cuts and scrapes.

As I type this post, a lamb and barley stew is simmering away on the stove, filling the house with a savory aroma. Every few moments I pause to mediate a sibling dispute, and as soon as I finish typing I'll be heading out to the backyard to weed my garden, full of rosemary, sage, mint, lavender, and lemon balm. The Empress, in these ways, lives within and through me. That, alone, is a comforting meditation.

In The Empress's Earthy Embrace

A couple of posts ago I mentioned that during my vacation I became very aware of something that has always been true: that I feel calm, at ease, nourished and filled by nature and my connection to the earth.

When I was a child I spent countless hours alone in the forest picking wild raspberries, listening to the wind rustle the maple and oaks leaves, building living huts (where saplings are used for a shelter, but are not cut down). I saw deer, squirrels, chipmunks and rabbits, and I'll never forget once when a red fox sprinted past me - they are elusive and beautiful creatures. I still have a red hawk feather that I found while picking through the underbrush in a wild wood. I would spend time along the river where I would see raccoon prints in the sandy shore. I would dream of having the opportunity to live there full-time.

Wildwood Tarot - W. Worthington

It's funny how growing up and becoming more deeply enmeshed in society can make those voyages into the wild somewhat more challenging. Not that they cease, just that our modern society as a whole has been structured in such a way that cities have become "cement jungles" where access to raw nature is limited, at best. You must be very intentional about being out in the natural environment...or else live in the countryside!

For years I worked in the center of a city doing neighborhood organizing in underserved communities. Even now, as a teacher, I live in an urban, high-technology environment and am constantly exasperated by the quantity of cars I must navigate through each day, the hurried drivers, and the almost-daily accidents that dot the city. My back yard provides a measure of relief. I have sage, rosemary, lavender, lemon balm, and sweet mint growing in my little garden. We have a maple tree and a towering palm, and an abundance of flowering bushes such as gardenia and hibiscus. Butterflies and lizards abound, as well as the occasional snake and mole. Each morning during the summer I watch the dawn sunlight filter through the vines at the border of our property, which always reminds me of a magical door opening. In early winter I sit outside in front of the fire pit with a hot cup of coffee and welcome in the new year.

Vision Quest Tarot

However there were so many moments during our recent cross-country drive, particularly in Tennessee and Kentucky, where we passed stretches of deep forest - the kind of nature that I'm used to (as opposed to the central Florida climate which is fairly different!), that I grew up with, that always calls to me on a visceral level. My soul always wants to rush out of the car window and roam through those woods and rolling hills. In the far north of Michigan where we have a family-owned cabin house I realized just how much I value that land as a place of retreat. There are wild grasses and wildflowers, red pines and white oaks, ice cold rivers and lakes, deer and elk. And it's all at my fingertips when I'm there. Raw, wild, untouched nature is waiting for me when I simply step over the threshold of the back door.

Navigators Tarot of the Mystic SEA

Over the past month or more I've been drawing the Empress quite a lot, and I sense her energy nourishing and nurturing me, enveloping me in a comforting, earthy embrace. Being aware of how important nature is to my well-being (all humans' well-being, to be sincere) has allowed me to be more intentional about the way in which I manage my feelings, including stress. Sitting outside and inhaling the breeze, observing the movements of animals and insects, or noticing the growth of our two backyard pineapples becomes a way to channel out dis-ease, and invite in healing and sensuality. I may not always have ready access to the raw wild, but the Empress is all around us, even here in the city. She is present under our feet, and her energy is accessible through the tiles and cement and floorboards that support the structures in which we live. When I feel most oppressed, I simply close my eyes and feel roots sprouting from my feet and reaching down deep into the ground. The Empress, the Goddess, Mother Earth, provides nature-energy like food that sustains me.

Empress, Mother

This morning my daily draw was the Empress. When I saw it I immediately felt pleased and at ease, because this is such a nurturing card; it exudes loving embraces, and material abundance. That's pretty much what my day has been all about!

Today is my younger daughter's birthday, and before school my husband gave her a special necklace set: one of those broken coins with ragged edges that fit together, symbolizing a close connection between the two people that wear each piece. One said "mother" and the other said "daughter." That was sweet, and she was very happy. I put mine on, and helped her to fasten her own. After work and school she saw that I still had the necklace on and said, "I'm glad you're still wearing that - you have to wear it for the rest of your life." I love that kid.

Thoth Tarot
F. Harris/A. Crowley
U.S Games Systems

A close family friend is here visiting for a couple of days, and though he had attended school in a health field, his true passion is music. It just so happens that I teach at a school for entertainment, where students can earn Bachelor's and Master's degrees in anything from recording arts, to computer animation, to entertainment business. It suddenly occurred to me last night to take him on a tour of the campus today while I had a break between classes. My husband and I had an excellent time watching his face light up as we toured the recording studios, sound stages, and dubbing stage. He was in heaven. As we chatted with the admissions counselor, I realized that the woman was talking to me as if I were the responsible party, and I laughed and commented about feeling like his mother. Later we found that because of his close ties to me and my husband, I'm able to nominate him for a legacy scholarship which will help cover his expenses, so there was a double whammy of Empress energy!

This evening I've been orchestrating the goods and goodies for my daughter's birthday celebration, and in the meantime trying to take care of myself as I'm getting that tickling in the throat that warns of an oncoming cold (I have to thank my son for that!).

The Empress has manifested in many ways today, and every one of them has been deeply satisfying.

My First Original Spread!

So I never considered making my own spread.  I figured that there are so many spreads out there for everything under the sun, why bother adding to it?  But yesterday I was contemplating love readings.  I decided to throw together a spread that could be used if two people are facing relationship challenges and need some clarity.  That is all well and good, but what about if a couple's relationship is going really well, and they just want some insights into it?  Some family members are celebrating their anniversary today, and they're one of the best couples I know.  I decided to create a spread with them in mind, and do a reading for them for their anniversary.  They were pleased with the outcome and happy to have me share the results with the world, though even so I will keep their identities somewhat obscure. I'll use the names Jack and Jill :-).

I don't have a name for this spread yet, but this is the layout:

    2

1      4  5  6

    3

       

I used Morgan Greer Tarot for the reading.

So as I flipped the cards over I was sure I'd done a poor job.  I saw a Swords, and some other things that were slightly unexpected.  After I stopped judging everything and actually started really looking at and thinking about the cards, I realized how meaningful and positive they were.  So here is my analysis:

Card 1, Current state of relationship: Empress - all is well at home!  There is a lot of love, mutual support, give and take.  There is sensuality, earthiness, and nourishment.

Card 2, What she brings to the relationship: 10 of Swords - change!  Jill doesn't mess around.  When she's done, she's done.  Once she identifies something that is old, no longer working, boring, annoying (etc) she cuts it out and makes room for something new and better.

Card 3, What he brings to the relationship: 8 of Cups - change....but slower!  Jack spends a lot of energy cultivating the world around him.  He may put a lot of time, energy and emotion into something that isn't really satisfying him.  The good thing is that once he realizes that it's not feeding his soul, he will move on.  He's able to take the journey to find what will satisfy him.

Card 4, Potential obstacles: 3 of Wands - future goals.  It may be hard getting past the initial planning stages of a creative idea.  One person might want one thing, while the other isn't convinced.  One might be full of ideas, and the other is fine where he/she is. Two people with diverging long-term goals makes for some struggles.

Card 5, The Key to success: Knight of Cups - they love each other.  But more than that! They share a lot of deep, core values that draw them together.  They appreciate beauty and the finer things in life.  They share a commitment to self-improvement.  Their ability to tune in to others' emotions makes them sensitive to each other, but also forms the foundation for their shared profession.  

Card 6, the Future: 4 of Cups - Jill's ideas clash with Jack's comfort with where he is and what he already has at his disposal (the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes to mind).  This is a potential next step, moving forward from the 3 of Wands. Perhaps some compromise will occur, that honors both people's feelings/needs/desires.  Perhaps an offer or opportunity will come along to help solve this issue, and imbue movement into feelings of stagnancy.  

The foundations are very strong (Empress and Knight of Cups).  The Knight's position between a fire card (wands) and water card (cups) gives it enhanced importance: none of the obstacles faced will shake the core of the relationship. This is supported by their complementary Soul cards (Empress and Emperor).  Both people bring the capacity for change to the marriage, albeit in two very different styles.  This is further supported by their Personality/Shadow cards: Jill's as the World and the Hanged Man, and Jack's as the Fool and Death.  

Interestingly, the numerological sum of the spread (using the four, numbered Minor Arcana) is 7 = The Chariot. I feel this signifies that they work well as a team, and know themselves and each other well.  When they agree on a goal, they see it through together. They deal well with life's challenges because of their strong connection to each other.

So Jill told me she was really happy with the results, and impressed with the accuracy.  That made my day, especially because it was my first time trying out a spread I created.  I'm encouraged to work on other new spreads in the future!

A Knight, The World, and The Empress: 3 Days in a Nutshell

I didn’t post my daily draws for the past three days, so I thought I’d do that now, just to try to keep up the practice of reporting what I pulled and how it related to my day!

Today is Monday (ugh). 

On Saturday I pulled the Knight of Swords, using my Golden Tarot deck.  Well, as much as I love to see other suits, it was fitting all the same.  It was pretty much Jorge.  He woke up on the wrong side of bed, and was irritable for most of the day, until late afternoon/early evening.  Sometimes just the acknowledgement of what your day is bringing you is enough to make it easier to deal with, to keep in mind that it’s just a moment, and won’t last.  To take it in stride.  That’s one of the important benefits of daily draws, I would say.  And while the day was pretty Knight of Swordsy, the evening ended on a positive note.

Morgan Greer Tarot

On Sunday I pulled The World, using my new Morgan Greer deck.  That’s what I’m talking about!  Not a sword in sight! ;-)  (To be fair I do appreciate and value the messages the suit of Swords delivers, but sometimes I just want a break!).  Realizing goals, getting active and involved, healing, synthesis, contentment and fulfillment.  Quite an auspicious card, really! I wasn’t sure I’d be able to live up to it!!!  But it did color my day in many ways.  I made inquiries about two courses I want to take at a local shop – one on herbs and the other on intuitive Tarot.  I purchased ritual candles and a small bottle for holding consecrated oil.  I bought some Hawthorn berries for a tea I wanted to make (due to a haphazard reading about my health I’d done that morning which worried me and made me want to take some action!).  And to top it off, that evening I did the most affirming reading (with my DruidCraft deck) about my future with Tarot which really brought everything together and gave me a strong feeling that I’m heading in the right direction.  I followed that up with a one-card-draw from my Druid Animal Oracle to ask what animal teachings would be most helpful on my path, and pulled the Seal card (connecting to your Unconscious; Feminine energy and teachings; opening yourself to following your dreams).  Not only was the message in line with my reading, but the card features a cloudy sky with a rainbow.  A few minutes later I put the cards away and Jorge and Lourdes and I went out for an evening walk… when I looked up there was the most beautiful rainbow hanging in a hazy sky.  I’ve never seen a rainbow by our house before, so it felt like another sort of confirmation, and it was a really beautiful moment for me, on many levels, kind of left me in awe.  So The World seemed fitting for my day yesterday.

Morgan Greer Tarot

Today I almost didn’t even have time to pull a card.  And let me say that it was quite the incomplete process.  I was hurriedly shuffling my Morgan Greer deck (I’m trying to switch it up now that I have three decks, so each one gets a little attention) and wasn’t even able to finish one shuffle before Gabriel and Jorge came in the room, and I needed to change Gabriel’s diaper, and Jorge started organizing the bed sheets.  So I just gave up shuffling, and cut the deck once and it was the Empress (how very fitting, given the surrounding activity!).  I put that on the back burner and ran out the door.  Despite the incompleteness of the shuffle/selection process I decided to go with it!  On my way to work I thought about it, and feel it’s telling me that the most important aspects of my day today will involve my family.  Jorge had a hard morning today with aches and pains he can’t identify the cause of, and feeling really tired.  So I feel the need to be supportive of him, so that he can get some rest.  Except I’m going to be at work for most of the day!  So I’m going to help him as much as possible from afar (planning the grocery list, etc) and then later when I get home try to give him some down time, and see what activities I can come up with for the kids.  To me today is all about giving extra support to my family in both roles: wife and mother.

I’m out.