Advice of the Day: Stirring the Cauldron

#EmbraceTheMagical: Cauldron
The Ellis decK

Are you still stirring a brew you are not satisfied with?  What are you waiting for? If there is something new you'd like to try then do it! Add it to that cauldron!  The only thing stopping you is yourself.

Advice of the Day: Find Comfort in Yourself

Embrace the Magical: Comfort

Vision Quest Tarot & A Curious Oracle

These two decks have done it again!  Both bringing the same message.  I can't help but laugh every time this happens.  I guess you could say they are comfortable working together. (ha!)

Today's message is about finding comfort in yourself and your spirituality.  Be comfortable in your own skin.  There is power within.  Trust that, through Spirit and intuition, you will find your way.  Moving forward in a new direction can be unnerving, but take comfort in knowing that it is the right and true path for you.

Advice of the Day: Slooow Down

It certainly has been awhile since my last blog post.  That often happens to me with journals, but I will not feel bad about it.  It has been a very busy time up until this point.  Searching for and buying a house drains more time away than one can expect.  But hopefully things will begin to settle now.

I have been participating in Kelly's (The Truth in Story) Embrace the Magical "challenge" on Instagram this month.  Today's word prompt "veil" is what lead me to return here after such a long break.

My draw for today was the Queen of Cups from the Raven's Prophecy Tarot.  This queen can see beyond the veil.  She is intuitive and can sense what is within herself and others.  Many turn to her for helpful advice.  This card encourages us to venture into our subconscious and connect with ourselves on a spiritual level, or to seek someone to help us do so.

I decided to draw another card and asked the Faeries' Oracle for guidance. What is behind the veil for me right now?  What am I not seeing?

The answer: Geeeeeooo the Slooow

He is right.  I have been so caught up in the rush these past months.  Even now, as we are settling into our new home, I cannot help but think of all the things we still have to do.  I need to slow down and stress less.  Things will fall into place in time.  Everything will not get done all at once, there aren't enough hours in the day.  I've been jumping from one thing to the next.  I haven't been taking any time to just sit with any given moment.  It was a much needed message.

More Than Gravity - Two of Cups

Valentine's Day...here is a holiday I don't normally get involved with.  I have nothing against the day, I just never feel the need to celebrate it the same way others do.  However, it is the perfect occasion to explore the Two of Cups.  

Here is a small collection of things that remind me of it.

"Love is friendship that has caught fire.  It is quiet understanding, mutual confidence, sharing and forgiving.  It is loyalty through good and bad times." 
-Ann Landers

"I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation.  It is too long ago.  I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." 
- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice

:huggu: by Yutaan on DeviantArt

"The best thing to hold onto in life is each other." 
-Audrey Hepburn

Advice of the Day: Turn Toward The Light

My eyes were instantly drawn to the sunflower in this card.  Sunflowers often turn to face the sun so they can benefit from it as much as possible.  I have had a lack of energy and drive since the holidays. Perhaps I've just been looking in the wrong direction...I have lost focus.

The Sacred Rebels suggests embracing the light surrounding me.  In doing so, everything will fall into place.  It is about time I make an effort and change direction.  But first, I will have to look within and decide where I am going.

As my fortune cookie informed me over the weekend, "This is a wonderful time in your life to look inward for answers."

It's The Most Busiest Time Of The Year

It is the holiday season and everything seems to be happening all at once.  So much to prepare for...so much to do.  This morning I made a point to give some time to myself.  I decided to do a practice reading using a spread presented by Marcus Katz in his Tarot Fundamentals online class.  The class is one of my rewards for supporting the Tarot Fundamentals Kickstarter campaign.  I just received the book and can't wait until I have more time to get a decent look at it!  

The spread is about taking a look at challenges, resources and lessons for my past, present and future.  For example: In my past situation I was challenged by [Card 1:Challenge] but drew upon [Card 2:Resource] and learnt [Card 3:Lesson].  Here are my initial thoughts on my reading!

The Past:

Challenged by the 8 of Cups: This year I moved away from home.  It is the only home I have ever known until now.  It was hard starting fresh and leaving something so significant behind.

Drew upon the Queen of Pentacles: Perseverance and being steadfast.  Staying strong in this time of change and continuing to move forward.

Learned from the 6 of Pentacles: I don't have to do everything alone.  There are people in my life willing to help me on my way.

The Present:

Challenged by the 7 of Pentacles: Being unable to let things progress naturally.  One step at a time.  I've been rather impatient lately.

Draw upon the 10 of Swords: Knowledge of when to call it quits...letting matters be put to rest.  Stop overdoing things (overkill! ha ha ha)

Learn from the 8 of Wands: There may be a lot going on but find a place of stability.  Do not try to focus on everything at once.

The Future:

Challenged by the King of Cups: An overabundance of compassion and emotion.  Giving too much.  I do have a tendency to care about everyone else before myself.

Draw upon the Queen of Cups: The ability to know my own needs and emotions.  Before I can efficiently know and help others, I need to know and help myself.

Learn from the 4 of Pentacles: It's okay to be selfish sometimes!  Giving to everyone and catering to their needs is all well and good, but I should not let it drain me completely. 

This turned out to be a really great reading.  I am so glad I put aside the time to do it.

Story Spread: The Alchemist

As a way to break in my new deck I decided to try the story spread that can be found in the guidebook.  The idea is to choose (or randomly draw) a theme and lay out a narrative for it.  As I am curious what to expect from my new job, I chose the Guardian of the Books to represent the theme of my reading.  I then shuffled and drew three cards which are to be read in order.

Alchemy - I had to smile when I turned this card over.  The alchemy card is about starting with something normal and turning it into something extraordinary.  I will only get what I put into it.  If I put a lot of enthusiasm and effort into this new job, it will prove to be very rewarding.

Calendar - This is a slow moving card and placement is important.  This card could mean a delay but because it follows the Alchemy card (rather than precedes it) I believe it to mean gradual and steady progress.  Achieving the message of the Alchemy card will take time but if I am patient and continue to follow it's guidance I will eventually get the results I desire.

The Baroness - This card has thrown me.  The baroness represents a deceitful person.  This could be a false friend, an unknown enemy or someone who wishes to bring you down.  They are manipulative and untrustworthy.  I can only guess that the cards are warning me to be careful of this type of person later on.  After creating something wonderful there might be someone who wishes to crush it.

Not exactly a happy ending to the story but the future is never set in stone.  For the time being, however, I shall take the advice of the alchemist.  I have the ingredients to make something great out of this new job, if only I put in the effort.