Be your own Change

 

When our ship doesn't come in, we think why me? I must have done something wrong. In fact it may have nothing to do with what we have or have not done. When things go awry we secretly wonder, what did I do? Why didn't I do things better to begin with? The dark side of our ego can blame us for all kind of things, making us responsible for things beyond our control. Stuck, figure out how to get unstuck. Life is fluid and filled with Change. Be your own Change.

Majestic Earth Tarot - J.D. Hildegard Hinkle

Hard knock opportunity

 

This image of an Eight of Swords is in sharp contrast to the typical image of a woman bound up in her own self imposed restrictions. We can sort through or stumble through those challenging days or decisions. Talking about it can help with perspective but sometimes we just need to experience the hard knocks of Life. Either way it gives us the opportunity to reevaluate ourselves, our choices, our way forward.

The Gaian Tarot

Focus

 

The struggle is real. Two cards in opposition. One who refuses to see and those that do. Bound to oneself and those open to others. Lost in confusion of thought and open and receptive to new possibilities. The Tarot presented two cards for me to give me a glimpse of where to begin my next journey.  First determine where I am and focus on where I want my journey to take me.  

The Rider Waite-Smith Tarot

Fortitude

 

The appearance of another to be entrenched or impacted by fear and indecision may not be a moment of indecision but a moment of reflection and decision.  There are times we need the struggle to have a break-through; a pause of consideration.  The butterfly needs the struggle of metamorphosis to become - from the caterpillar. Learning to walk in our early life moves us from babies to toddlers. It doesn't happen in a day, but is a process of growth and development of strength and purpose. The struggle is real and yes at times, exactly what we need.

Spiritsong Tarot

Expansive sorrow

 

No doubt about it, things often go awry.  Out of control worry can make the most challenging situation even worse. 

Makes me think of my Father berating my sibs and me when we were children, upset and crying, "If you want something to cry about, I will give you something to cry about." 

Wishing or ignoring a thing away, does not make it better.

Majestic Earth Tarot

Predicament Review

 

The grand illusion

 

Trapped with no one else to blame. Why oh why, we ask ourselves. Taking the wrong turn we decided to leave the path. So boring, paths, seemingly knowing where they lead.  We step out in adventure or idiocy and then finding ourselves in a big pile of brambles, hardships. We exclaim "oh my, why me?" Well why not you? We make choices, we make mistakes. Only we can decide from this point where and how to proceed. Stay stuck or pick apart the brambles, the thorns, and get back to the path. Quit believing there are no other choices.

The Enchanted Forest Tarot

Crossroad

 

Another card of Winter (Traditionally Swords).  Again by myself, isolated? As with the Five of Swords yesterday, here I stand alone in a winter wonderland. Self-imposed isolation is all well and good, but not a place to stay. The label "Social-Introvert" was hung on me some years ago and it is an apt description of myself. I appear to be comfortable in public but really prefer my time by myself, But, Life is meant to be enjoyed and shared, so it would be good for me to shrug off the cloak of isolation.  I recently read a report that stated that 2021 would be a good year for me to become the "Wild-Elder" that sounds pretty good, I am going to embrace that.

Neosporin and band-aids

 By our own doing or happenstance sometimes we can get tangled up in things that are going to be a bit painful or uncomfortable to get out of.  The question(s) we can ask ourselves is what reward am I getting from being bound to this situation? Is it more comfortable or just easier to stay put than to extract ourselves?  Makes me think for a minute of my father yelling "I will give you something to cry about." Then as now sometimes it is easier or the wiser course to just shut up and put up; at least until the opportunity presents itself to get untangled.

This cat is a lot different looking than the kitty as the Fool a few days ago.  

Embedded

There are all kinds of training we go through, beginning from the moment we arrive here on Planet Earth. 
This dog was trained with electric fencing and even after it is removed she will still stay within her yard because she has been convinced by the electric shocks she received when she tried to cross the boundary.
Some of the training and caveats we have learned are for our own good, but there are those that must be removed or we move beyond. 
What no longer serves as we pass through our days is really up to us to decide.




Celestial Tarot
Kay Steventon and Brian Clark

Offense

The best defense is a strong offense, I think it is the quote, to who first said it, is inconclusive. 
Prepare for the worst and expect the best, a similar thought.
In the typical Eight of Swords a woman is portrayed as passive, a prisoner of her own making, her unwillingness to be proactive.
Not really a good choice.  Nor is this, come out with swords at the ready.  That is enough to put anyone on the defense and a contest ensues.  Some new approach is a better choice, but you have to get through the 8,9, and 10 of Swords to get to the Page, and then you begin to rethink all that fear, anger, worry, doubt.



The Chinese Tarot ~ Jui Guoliang

Woe is me

"slings and arrows of outrageous fortune"
Recently I have struggled with increased anxiety issues.  A month ago, while on vacation, I allowed fear and anxiety to overwhelm me and upon my return home, I have been considering how I might proceed with my future. Yesterday's draw of the Eight of Wands reminded me of my path forward and with today's draw of the Eight of Swords I understand that I have started to concede my future to my fears.  This has got to stop.  Easier said than done with episodes of post trauma stress, but there are things that can be done. 
There are no swords at my back in this depiction, suggesting that I step back from my situation and give myself some new options.  Choices, thankfully can be wonderful opportunities.  I am grateful I have the choice to still go my own way.

Paradox

Recognition of ignorance?
I feel stuck lately.  I know it is of my own doing, but the undoing I cannot figure out.  You think it would be an easy fix having been there other times throughout my life, but no, that is not so.  Who I am today is not the same gal I was at those other points in life, so the fix will be different.  I am saddled with more 'what ifs' (those swords) than before, then again, maybe not.  Maybe the 'what ifs' have just shuffled their order, seemingly different.  Do I work through them one at a time, or just shuck the whole lot? Can I recognize those swords for what they really are? Those dire warnings I have heard since birth. Watch out! You can't! You shouldn't! Shame! What were you thinking? Not for you? Can't be done! Better safe than sorry!
No wonder I can't recognize why I am stuck.


Rider Waite-Smith Tarot

Bounty of nature

'Even a blind pig can get lucky and find a truffle.'  I wonder if that hedgehog is aware of all the apples around her?  So onward I go stumbling to and fro. Bound my doubts and insecurities, or just reluctant to let go of the things known, to move into the unknown. If I keep moving forward I get lucky enough to stumble on a correct path. 
I am into my second week of walking ten minutes every morning in my bare feet to reconnect with the Earth and get my electrons balanced, a super charge. Any difference, nope.  It can't hurt so onward I go. 



The Green Witch Tarot

Group discussion

Not your typical Eight of Swords, where normally you are alone and bounded by your fears.  Here everyone gathers together to share.  Still the Eight of Swords casts a pall over this gentle interpretation.  What to share or not?  Don't want to be judge by others.  There's the crux, all the baggage we carry; the thing is we all have baggage,  Who is there really to judge?







The Gaian Tarot

The clash

Did you hear that? The sound of blade on blade, the clash of steal.  That's those mixed emotions of yes and no, do or don't do, yesterday-tomorrow.  Do I stay or do I go? 
Rooted to a spot or place; the fear of indecision. 
Time to shake off the lingering dregs of winter.










The Sacred Circle Tarot -Anna Franklin and Paul Mason

Forfeiture

Giving up our Rights by not voicing our thoughts and opinions. 
It is a shame really that society has taught many not to draw attention themselves.  Manipulation and Mystification has kept many voiceless.  Times are changing. 

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear." -Franklin D Roosevelt






The Fountain Tarot

An Apple a Day

STATE of ADDICTION

This reminds me of me.  I am a sugar addict and my addiction has been intensifying.  Like any addict a little of any type of the addictive substance is too much.  I ignore the natural tasty snack like the apples on the tree, for cookies, candy, cake, milk shakes, cupcakes, any bit of this n that, that is made from the refined white sugar that has me tied up in cravings. Wait in my defense, I also eat the sweet tasty apple.  Enough I say and then I sneak in just a taste and the day continues with more sugar reinforcements.
It is time for some Self - Tough Love.
After Christmas.

Peat and Repeat

Did that to myself again

Anytime I second guess myself, I realize I had it right the first time. 
I learned this lesson in school years ago.  When faced with a multiple choice question the first response is most likely the correct one.  This depiction of the Eight of Swords is exactly what happens when I do doubt what I know to be right, and then I get all tied up in knots.  In this ever changing world some things never change, right is right and wrong is wrong.  The problem lies in ones system of belief.






Rider Waite-Smith Tarot