Saturday, March 19, 2011

3/19/11—Receiving Good News

Weekend Reading: Child of Nature (Wands) from the Tarot of the Origins. This card signifies good news. And where I live the good news is amazing weather. Get out in it today. Listen to the way the breeze makes nature move. Put your hands in the soil. And just generally shorten the distance between you and the soul of this beautiful earth.

Friday, March 18, 2011

3/18/11—Volunteering

Today's Draw: Six of Pentacles from the Templar Tarot. What can you give to or do for others today? Do you have a regular volunteering gig? If not, what keeps you from doing it? And if so, what do you get from it?
 
Off the top of my head, it doesn't seem to matter what deck you use, the Six of Pentacles always has the same meaning. It deals with the exchange of charity or grace, whether you're the giver or the recipient.

We actually had this card not l...ong ago and I talked about how I'll anonymously pick up checks for diners now and again when I go out to eat. Or I'll leave a big tip for my waiter. But money never even needs to be involved. Just telling someone they look nice today can lift your spirits and theirs. It's about developing a practice of grace in your life.

Finding a volunteer opportunity is very hard for me. I want to find something that is fulfilling to me...something I can stick with. I was a literacy tutor for five years and all my students were recovering crack addicts. I chose that because no one else wanted to teach them. It can be heartbreaking. Almost all of my students left the program and went back out on the streets. And because they're anonymous programs, I'm not allowed to know the details...just that they're no longer my students. But every time, my next student would give me the scoop and keep me updated. These women taught me that there are a lot of different kinds of smarts in this world. Theirs was survival. Some of them had decades of living on the streets and getting high. You have to be very resourceful to make that happen.

After a while the disappointment of losing students wore on me and I quit, meaning to go back. I did it five years and haven't returned yet. But after that I started doing tarot for charity, where all the proceeds from my readings go to charity. Right now I'm a member of a group and we present ourselves to different charities and offer to do a fundraiser for free. So they provide their donors and a space. We provide the tarot. And they get 100% of the proceeds. We only do it quarterly, though. So I always have in the back of my mind that I need to choose a volunteer opportunity again. I drive by the recovery center I used to volunteer at often and think about it. And I think about maybe doing something with dogs. But I still haven't found that thing that appeals to me. And I think maybe I should just dive into something. Because giving of yourself can be incredibly healing. It can change your chemistry and, thus, your mood. What's your story?

Thursday, March 17, 2011

3/17/11—Spending Time Alone

Today's Draw: The Hermit from the Wizard's Tarot. When was the last time you spent some good quality time with yourself—no distractions, completely alone? What do you do to listen to the still, soft voice within?
 
On the surface, the Hermit's energy seems to be about aloneness. But that just really brushes the surface. I'm alone all day and all night, 24/7 practically, and very little of that time is Hermit time.

The Hermit is really about turning off... all distractions—TV, radio, reading material, computers—and sitting with yourself. Only yourself. No background noise. Not even while you're exercising or driving your car. No distractions. Nothing but you and you and you. It's about accessing and consulting your inner wisdom. Listening to your soul. Is that something you ever do? How do you go about it?

I try to spend time like that every day. Regardless of the weather, I usually sit outside in the wee hours, right before bed, and take time to meditate and just clear my mind of the day's stuff...peel back the layers so I can just sit in the vibe of oneness with all around me. In the winter, I'm covered in a blanket. In the rain, I sit under the eaves. Some days I'm more successful than others at getting to the stillness, but I try every day. It takes me to the essence of who I am and keeps me focused on what is real and right for me.

It's so common for people to get caught up in daily life, especially if you're married and/or have kids. Sometimes the cacophony in your head never ends. But the Hermit comes today to tell you this is needed in your life.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

3/16/11—Answering The Call

Today's Draw: Eight of Wands from Infinite Visions. Are you prepared to answer the call to action? If progress in a key area were to quickly start happening, would you be ready? What can do to be ready?

The Eight of Wands signifies fast motion toward the resolution of a project or goal. This is the last leg of the journey. Maybe it manifests as a change in attitude, an unexpected meeting or key opportunity that comes out of nowhere. Regard...less, the 8 of Wands is your "warning" that this moment is either coming or here, so look for clues and be ready to greet it, because it could make all the difference in the outcome of the situation.

I suppose for me it would have to be in the health arena. I need that final bit of motivation to take me through to the groove I need to be in.

I'm not sure if Facebook is going to translate all these paragraph returns or not. I'm writing this in Word so I can hopefully paragraph because as things stand now I can't on Facebook because of this new feature of theirs. Which sucks because it just means people will be writing long, rambling paragraphs that I refuse to read.

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

3/15/11—Celebrating Wishes

Today's Draw: Nine of Cups from the fabulous, new Wizard's Tarot by Corrine Kenner. What is worthy of celebration in your life right now? If you could be granted one wish for yourself, what would it be?
 
This Nine of Cups shows a person toasting us with one of the cups. What are they toasting?

For me, they are toasting an emotional stability that I wouldn't have had six months ago. Circumstances over the past week or so of my life would have... thrown me into sadness and depression back then. But an unfortunate attack of menopausal mood swings caused me to reach out for something to stabilize my moods last year. And now things don't seem so dire anymore. Even things that would upset pretty much anyone. And I've been enjoying that.

Like many people, I've suffered from low-grade depression most of my life. Nothing debilitating. I've always managed to be happy off and on. Balanced off and on. But little things would sometimes take hold in me and not let go. And it's those things...big or small...that have less of an impact on my life now. I asked my doctor if that meant it was stripping away who I am and the response surprised. She said "this is who you are without the illness (depression)". This is who I am. And that makes so much sense to me, but I've never thought of it that way. This is who I am when you take the depression out of the equation. So that's what I'm celebrating right now.

The Nine of Cups is also traditionally known as the "wish card". And if I could make one wish, it would be that I would be more motivated in my diet and exercise plan. That's all on me, though. Maybe the cosmos could help, but I can make that happen myself, as is the case with most wishes. What I would really wish for, however, would be for someone else...a good friend who I hope will allow himself to find out who he is without his illness, assuming that's the path he and his soul want for themselves. That's the thing about wishes and luck. As woo-woo as I am, I believe we can be helped on the path to fulfillment by energies outside us. But for the most part, I believe that wishes and luck are made by ourselves.

Monday, March 14, 2011

3/14/11—Making Crafty Choices

Today's Draw: Seven of Swords from the Infinite Visions. Is there some sort of situation you're trying to weasel your way out of? Or one that calls for careful wording or tactics on your end? Or a situation you've got a "funny feeling" about?
 
The Seven of Swords is one of those cards that usually confuses me when it comes up because I have a hard time applying it to my life. The meaning of the card revolves around some situation you need tact and careful timing to address. It ca...n also mean sneaking away from a situation. It almost always makes me think that the person who got the card created the issue or stepped into something they weren't ready for and now is looking for a way to navigate some very dangerous waters. The advice is usually to be careful and that now may not be the time to make a decision.

It's interesting because today my note from the universe read:
First, choose from the options that thrill you.
Then, choose the ones that also teach you.
And from these, Tierney, choose the scariest.
Butterflies in your tummy are good.

While not a full-on 7 Swords situation, it dances around it. There may be a choice or decision that needs to be made...some situation that is tenuous...and the universe actually seems to be recommending you go for the Seven of Swords choice...the one you have to be careful and crafty about.

Anyway, while I don't usually see how this card applies, I do today. I have a friend who seems to be going through something very scary. And he keeps pushing me away when I reach out to help. But I am worried and not giving up so easily. Thus the careful balance of the Seven of Swords.

It's also important to note that sometimes the Seven of Swords indicates deceit or trickery. So on a Seven of Swords day you should also look out for who might be trying to deceive you. What's your Seven of Swords story for today? And to readers, how do you see this card when it comes up in a reading?