Thankful Thursday

Top 5 things I am thankful for today:

1. Sunshine
2. Being Employed
3. My health
4. Family and Friends
5. Early Morning Bird Songs

Daily Draw - Kitsune

From the Book:
You will have a series of incidents where you seemingly stumble upon information that reveals what is the best action to take, who you can trust in the current situation, and where best to invest your precious energy and efforts.

Personal Interpretation:
Look out for the signs, they are there - things that make you realize that this person isn't who they say they are, that your time is better spent elsewhere, or that your trust has not yet been earned.  They are there, you simply have to open your eyes to seeing them.

Wellness Wednesday - Taking Time Out

A dear friend, QLD, Australia.

Yesterday was a glorious reminder to me of the importance of taking time out.  I lead a fairly hectic life (not as hectic as some I know) and I have noticed especially since moving to the USA that I don't take time out as much as I used to simply to enjoy doing something.  Yesterday the hubby decided to leave work early and come home at the same time I did so that we could spend some time together.  We don't often get to do this because I work from 7-4:30 and he works from 10-7.  So we decided to clean the BBQ and fire her up for the first time this season and enjoy a nice leisurely dinner out on our balcony.

This type of dining is something I dearly miss from back home - and I will admit I don't enjoy the fact that our balcony looks over the main street so anyone walking by can see us as well as the neighbors - but there is just something nice about eating out in the fresh air and sunshine that makes the food taste better.  Plus, hubby and I are notorious for eating dinner while watching an episode of something on the couch because it is usually our only down time we have all day.  So this meant that we got to talk to each other as well (something our relationship is missing a lot lately).

It was amazing the tone that this period of 'time out' set for the evening.  Both hubby and myself were more relaxed and dealing with school work was much more productive.  It is funny how we forget this, these simple things that make life living.  That make you appreciate the time you have, the world around you and the people you love.  That make the journey worth it and help you to re-focus.  And that I am certain help extend your lifespan also.

Daily Draw - Sacred Beetle Armour

From the Book:
For a brief time, you are about to receive an intervention in the form of strong psychic protection.  You must now quickly set in place strong, clear healthy boundaries, relish the opportunity to say no, calmly walk away from energy draining distractions and learn to nurture and support your own energy fields with daily practice.

Personal Interpretation:
You are shielding well at the moment, be wary though of using your shield to block out the good and the bad.  A shield is for helping you to protect while working on your inner defenses not to simply hide behind.  Take the time to work on strengthening your inner power so that you can eventually let those shields down.

Tarot Tuesday

First, an update.  
I have purchase the Steampunk Tarot and I love it.

Yesterday I went through the deck on arrival and picked out a few cards that lept out at me.

Then when I got home I went through each of the cards to see how the meanings and imagery came through for me.  I have to say that for the most part they resonate with me rather well.  There are a few that I am struggling with but on the whole I find reading their meanings and symbolism to be quite easy.  I have yet to cleanse and consecrate them so I don't know how they are going to work with me but thus far we are off to a good start.

History of the Tarot:
The exact history of the first tarot cards is unknown - but it is believed that by the 15th century decks were popular enough to be commissioned by patrons.  Of course it wasn't until the late 18th-19th centuries that we begin to see the tarot come into 'mainstream' use when it is picked up as a divination method by scholars of the occult.

How I see them working:
For a lot of people there is a great struggle with many of the numerous divination techniques out there simply because they cannot understand how a simple object can deliver a message of the future, and the tarot is no less subject to this skepticism than throwing dice.  For many the tarot is just a set of pretty cards (and don't get me wrong there are certainly decks I'd love to own for their imagery more than their divinatory abilities) but tarot goes beyond that.

The images of Tarot tap into the unconscious, they are a method by which we can project and interpret things we subconsciously know but could not otherwise tap in to.  Of course the images of the tarot would not be quite so successful if they did not come from the collective conscious.  They tap into universal themes and needs and use archetypes to present a message.

So essentially you are tapping into two different sources when you read the tarot - your own subconscious and the collective conscious.  This is why two people can read the same card and get slightly different message from them.  While you may pick up on the collective imagery you also apply your own understanding to the scene laid out in the card.  It is also for the reason that relying heavily on the book that comes with the cards is not the best method to understanding them.  By all means read the book, it is always interesting to see where the creator was going with certain choices etc, but I recommend looking at the card and trying to find your own meaning first.

Meditative Monday

Personal Photo - Taken near Wanaka, NZ

The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.

Marcel Proust

I think this is a really important message.  Have you ever tried looking at the world though the eyes of a child, an ant, the fey etc.  Taking the time to consciously attempt to alter ones perspective is an act that I believe opens up a whole new world to the viewer.  We often long for the innocence and joy that comes from seeing the world through a child's eyes - why not make the choice to do just that next time you go to the park. 

Even just taking a moment to stop and really 'see' the world is an important daily act.  We spend so much time racing through to the next thing in life we forget to really see the world.  How often do you pause and admire the trees, actually look at the night sky, watch the sun rise, look at how the wind plays with the leaves?  Try to do it, try to find a moment each day to open new eyes to the world.

Daily Draw: Monday April 16th, 2012

From the Book: 
Rebirth can not take place without a death - and it is now time to end something, to let something both externally die - and something internally die....Whatever it is, let it go.  It will return.  And you cannot be reborn unless you first know how to die.

Personal Interpretation:
The Phoenix is a very personal messenger for me.  I'm holding onto a lot of stuff for fear of letting it go right now and I need to burn through the fire to get through the other side.