Eight of Wands - Spiritual Creative Growth

Change, movement and travel are all represented in the Eight of Wands. Travel in this case relates to seeing through the conflict that stimulates the imagination, bringing spiritual creative growth.

Wands generally represent creative growth, energy and action. In this card there is now positive change after anxiety and struggle. All I can say is, what a relief!

This card that I've drawn today, is a precise reflection of the emotional roller coaster I've been traveling on, albeit a small one, relatively speaking. After two weeks of anxiety and struggle, the change that I'd hoped and prayed for has arrived, and I think I've passed this spiritual test. I know there will always be more spiritual tests to come and I'm okay with that, dare I say I welcome it. I happen to love real roller coasters but not the emotional kind. I've had enough of those in my life.

Today I was feeling like I was at my weakest and strongest point, and I let myself have a little cry. This brings to mind what Jean Vanier refers to as, " in weakness strength."  After I decided to take action, things began to fall in place, because as I've said many times, action is the antidote to worry. My doubt and fear were dispelled and the answers I sought provided clarity. I was able to find the strength to reach out, which is difficult for me, but it's made all the difference. I was shown great kindness and I am very, very grateful.

Life is full of personal conflict and struggle. It appears to be necessary if we are to experience the beauty of spiritual creative growth.

Six of Pentacles - Forgiving

The Six of Pentacles is a card of growth, generousity, charity and giving.

Daedalus has not been the best kind of human being. Here we see Daedalus kneeling and paying homage to King Minos, who knows the extent of Daedalus' actions, but he also knows that Daedalus has suffered, been exiled and humiliated for his crimes, and he has learned many lessons, the hard way. In spite of this the royal King doesn't judge him in a merciless and unforgiving way in which society would. He forgives Daedalus and offers him friendship and generousity in his heart and spirit.

Today is my late big brother's Ralph's Birthday who was ten years older than me. He's been gone for 15 years and I miss him so much and always will. We were very close when I was little. Once I hit adolescence and with all the serious struggles that went on in my family growing up, my relationship with my brother suffered, got complicated and difficult. After I sobered up things got much better, but I was still emotionally bankrupt in many ways and didn't know how to find my way out.

The forgiving and merciful King Minos extends a generous, giving and loving heart toward Daedalus, the way I know my brother extends toward me and I do the same for him. To love and forgive our family is something most of us can't help do, no matter what. Loving our human family is just as important. We are all wounded in some way, have done things we are not proud of because we fell very short in many ways. Perhaps we haven't been the kind of person we should have been or wanted to be. Being forgiven especially by those we love that we have hurt is one of the best gifts we can be given.
 What is more difficult, is forgiving ourselves, but we need to this in order to heal, and move forward so we can grow into the people we are meant to be and be happy.

Ace of Swords - The Double Edged Sword

 It never ceases to amaze me how accurate the cards are each day I draw from my deck. Prior to actually reading the card, I'll look at it and wonder, how does this relate to my present situation? Then upon careful examination it starts to make sense to me, regardless of how I feel about the card or my present state, which has been a very difficult over the past two weeks. The closer I come to the end the more difficult it seems.



 I see Athene's Ace of Swords as a card of power and potential. Like all swords it cuts through muddled thought and gives clarity. This Ace of Swords is even more powerful, because I'm reminded it is a doubled edged sword, cutting both ways.

 There are consequences and actions that happen from ideas and convictions, from people, places and things, which can create suffering, but in spite of, or perhaps because of, it can all result in a new and more viable principle, resolving a situation that will soon come to an end with a successful conclusion.

So, this is good news, and it gives strength enough to know, I can get through the last next four days, because I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel approaching fast. Without going into personal details suffice to know it's something I've never quite experienced before and it's been extremely taxing on my inner resources, but makes me grateful for my faith and I know I will be stronger for the experience.

Some situations in life are certainly not self-imposed, but are created from outside influences we have no power over, due to unforeseen circumstances. It might appear on the surface there is absolutely nothing else to do, but wait for it to come to an end, no matter how hard. What makes all the difference is how I approach it, and my attitude. I have been turning to and relying on a power greater than myself to give me strength to abide the time it takes for resolution and victory.

* Dedicated to my friend Heather, who showed us how to let the light shine out of the darkness.

The Queen of Pentacles - Who's Happy?

I'd love to be or even feel like the Queen of Pentacles today but I'm not sure I'm any where near feeling like her right now. Oh sure on an intellectual level, I really identify with all her glorious attributes and I aspire to them daily. She's stead fast, possessing endurance and stability, grounded within herself and through her deep connection with the earth she loves to generously share in it's bounty, in any way that she can.

She lives each day to the fullest and is the embodiment of what it means to embrace all the simple pleasures of life. The Queen of Pentacles very much is an inspiration and is really the quintessential Earth Mother, the image of feminine strength and sensuality, with dignity and power.

I've deemed her to be the Queen of Hygge, and so drawing her today, is a much needed reminder for me to be happy, which is directly proportional to the gratitude I try mindfully to have everyday.

 Today it's been hard for me to focus on my gratitude because of the direct or indirect affects of not having enough available funds to get by every month. Yes, I'm poor, but I do know I'm rich, in so many other ways and this is what I try hard to focus on.

Financial insecurity has been an ongoing thing for me and tends to wear on you after many years. I never thought I'd be wishing for the day I turn 65, in 508 days, but who's counting? Well I am, because this will make a huge difference in decreasing my stress level, when my income will increase three times.

Today I've acknowledged that I'm sick and tried of struggling financially but I know there's light at the end of the tunnel and feel comforted by the Queen of Hygge who reminds me of this, and to count my blessings and to be thankful for the small miracles in my life. So the Queen of Pentacles (Omphale) queen of Lydia, she has made me grateful today and I'm feeling happier for it now, before having written this post about my favourite influential, down to earth, motherly Queen.

I'm reminded of a saying that I try hard to live by. I'm grateful not because I'm happy, but I'm happy because I'm grateful.

My cat Tommy Tom, he's a good teacher, he's so happy. He's really got this Hygge thing down pat!

Tommy Tom is Hyyge enlightened!

Five of Wands - Friends Help You Fight the Dragon

 Fightin' the dragon are the words that immediately come to my mind after drawing the Five of Wands this morning.

 I thank God I know I don't have to fight that dragon alone, unless I choose to do so or for what ever reasons I just can't seem to reach out and ask for help. For me, this is false pride, but that doesn't mean there aren't those of us at some point that don't seem to be able to reach out. This can have dire and tragic consequences. So what do we do?

  I have to be very cognoscente of those that need a friend who might need a hand up. I must not only ask, but simply offer as well, to be a friend that listens over coffee, and who offers a helping hand in some way or another, to a friend or to someone we don't know..

 For most of us, asking for help is one of the most difficult things to manage to do, regardless of our situation, for a myriad of reasons. Familial patterns are often entrenched in our personalities, and it's difficult to break those patterns and change unhealthy behaviours. Perhaps we've learned these behaviours from our parents to keep that stiff upper lip or we've learned that often unspoken message from society, to just suck it up, move on, because no one wants to hear about our problems.  And sometimes we just think it's easier to be in denial, but it's not, because denying reality only compounds the existing adversity, effects not only ourselves but the others  who are around us.

The Five of Wands reminds me to keep reaching out, when I feel like giving up. I need to ask for help or to offer help to another. I especially need to remember to value real friendship and to know that friends are no different than me in our shared humanity, and that 'strangers' are just friends I haven't met yet.



The Qualities of Real Friendship

- Excerpt from the Huffington Post


1. They push us to be more accepting of ourselves.

2. They call us out when we're wrong.

3. They're present.

4. They really listen.

5. They support us through adversity.

6. They keep our stress in check.

7. They keep us humble.

8. They have our backs when life gets tricky.

9. They make friendship a priority.

10. They practice forgiveness.

11. They make us want to be better people.

Wheel of Fortune - To Everything There is a Season

I compare life to a garden. Both gardening and life are about growing and learning.

As the gardener. I have to make sure I've well prepared soil, sowing fertile seeds that can help one another to grow. Then I must tend to my garden regularly by attentively weeding. Then I can reap just what I've sown at the end of the season, barring any happenings like storms, floods and big bug infestations. But that's the thing, there are no guarantees in life or gardening. We have to learn to expect the unexpected.

I'm happy I've drawn this Major Arcana card today, The Wheel of Fortune, and the tenth card in the Tarot,  ruled by Jupiter and the planet of expansion.

This card indicates positive change,  growth, a new phase of life and coming to terms with our own inner journey within the cyclical nature of life, as there is a season and a time for everything.

The Wheel of Fortune urges and reminds me to not be complacent, otherwise the weeds will take over my garden.

Spring is not far away now, just 17 days! I'm really taking notice of the increasing sunshine everyday. I've planted my garden seeds early indoors, the first week of February and now I'm enjoying watching them break through the soil. Even my Christmas Cactus has decided to bare a few beautiful blooms again, which hangs above my big Calla Lily, and just in time for the coming Easter season, my very favourite time of year.


The Wheel of Fortune encourages me to be determined to put ever effort into growing my garden this year and intend to apply the same principles to my life, embracing growth, making changes for the better and shoulder whatever responsibility this entails.

The Hanged Man - Patience is a Virtue

 I remember the first time I saw this card. A friend of mine who was a Tarot reader did a reading for me, and was my first exposure to Tarot cards. I was left with the impression that things did not look good when The Hanged Man appeared in the spread. It retrospect it was very accurate and relevant to what I was experiencing then, which was a lot of emotional turmoil leaving me confused, and anxious about the future. I was hoping to find some sort of control over my situation, and this card didn't give me a lot of reassurance upon first seeing it.

The Hanged Man represents taking a break, waiting things out, distancing and withdrawal from all the turmoil in order to find a semblance of normalcy and balance again.

When we take this time, it's an opportunity to regroup, but mostly I think it's a lesson in patience, and that can feel like a sacrifice.  I've never been the most patient person and it's something I've had to mindfully work at. Being an artist I suppose has helped me, because the creative process is a discipline which requires some patience and constant reassessment. Creating art is something I do as a creative person and it's what I love, so I don't think it is that difficult. I do have to step back to reassess and try to find a way to get an different perspective by distancing myself. Looking at my art work in a mirror helps me to see things in a way I wouldn't normally see.

However it's a different scenario when I've found myself in situations that I don't like or even hate, and are very challenging for one reason or another. This is the time my patience is really tested. I can choose to either persevere and work through it or throw up my arms in defeat and just give up. Fortunately I'm stubborn and I don't give up too easily. Eventually have to come to a level of comfort and calm with my situation, which is a big part of practicing patience, trusting in the unseen workings of my psyche, waiting, often with fear and anxiety, but with much hope.

The Greek Myth about Prometheus embodied in the Major Arcana card The Hanged Man, is pretty gruesome involving chains, an eagle and poor Prometheus's liver, but in spite of all this there is a good and merciful outcome!

As my grade nine Geography once said under her breath to her group of teen aged out of control class. patience is a virtue.