Day 4: How can I best embrace and embody my carefree spirit in the present moment?
Card: The Wheel of Fortune Rx (reversed): What carefree spirit? LOL I need to reflect back on my past actions- maybe I can use them for inspiration. Remember times when I was more carefree and fun-loving. Embrace that moment.
Day 5: Where can I infuse more playfulness and curiosity in my approach to life?
Card: 3 of cups- this is my second three of cups within an hour lol- I guess I have to meet up with folks and party a bit more. Let my hair down. Worry less.
Day 6: What can I engage in to bring more joy into my life right now? Draw up to 3 cards.
Cards: 3 of Swords, Guardian (Queen) of Wands Rx, and 5 of cups: I’ve been hurt and suffered loss (who hasn’t), and those painful moments have caused me to limit what I can feel for others, how close I let them get, and how much I share with them. I believe that very few people can be trusted, and I need to look towards breaking out of that mentality and learning to forgive others and myself. I need to reestablish my sense of self, my sense of purpose and not remove boundaries but instead assess how those boundaries help and hinder me.
The deck used today is a bootlegged copy of the Spacious Tarot (a gift from someone who didn’t know it was a knock-off). I like the imagery in the Spacious Tarot, and I think if you’re on the hunt for human-free images, this is a good one!
Day 1: What inner fire am I guided to ignite, nurture, and/or honour this month?
Card: 3 of cups: I should honour my connections to others, help myself grow and develop the relationships I already have, any new ones I’d like to create or build afresh. Maybe also indulging myself- treat yo self kinda vibes!
Day 2: Where do I need to take a bold step forward in my life?
Card: 3 of Pentacles Reversed: Hmmm teamwork- I don’t really work in a team though, so I’m not too sure about this card- Maybe I need to be bold and join a team, or work together with someone on a project of some sorts? It could be that the activities I’m doing at the moment are too boring, and don’t inspire passion, so perhaps I need to develop those? The branches of this tree on the card make me feel like it wants me to step out of my individualized life and make some new connections maybe.
Day 3: Draw a card and use its message to create a daily mantra for the month ahead.
Card: Judgment: lol: I trust myself. I am wise. I know what is best for me.
The deck used today was The Essential Tarot- I wouldn’t really recommend it, to be honest. The images aren’t always helpful- it veers more towards a pip deck (a deck with the minor cards as just the number of the symbol, so the 3 of pentacles you can just see 3 pentacles, etc), and I don’t find it super intuitive to read. It doesn’t feel like there was a tonne of thought put into its creation and some of the images (especially of the court cards and major arcana) don’t really guide you at all, or give you any help. It was available at a discount book outlet so I grabbed it, but I wouldn’t recommend you do the same. The card stock is good but a bit sticky, and it smells strongly of chemicals. It’s growing on me, but I don’t think I’ll use it much.
Ok, I know I haven’t finished March yet, but it’s already the 8th of April and I haven’t even begun yet!
It’s been a crazy few weeks, with a new contract starting at work, a few days taken up by extra work and plans, and a slight health issue- fingers crossed it’s not as big of a deal as it seems to be. All of this has meant I’ve been working on keeping myself going and not going batshit crazy, so although tarot has been tugging at me every evening and every morning, I haven’t been able to do fuck all.
Here’s the challenge I’m going to attempt for April. It’s another Lionharts’ challenge. I like that there’s usually an element of self-reflection in the questions asked, and I also like the visuals. That said, whenever I get a chance, I might try to chuck in some more challenges or just a card of the day here and there! 🙂
Follow Lionharts’ on Instagram to see more, and follow me on Instagram for occasional dog bum-based spread photos.
Day 25: In what area can I use the beauty of nature to find joy or rekindle my passions? Where do I begin?
Card: 4 of wands Rx: Private and inward work on goals and private personal celebrations- I can use nature as a way of continuing to understand myself better, and I can start by rewarding myself for the small accomplishments and private achievements I’ve accomplished so far. 🙂
Day 26: In what way or area(s) have I found myself this month?
Card: 8 of pentacles Rx: I’ve found myself through self-improvement, through wishing to perfect and dwell on the imperfections in my life from the past. It’s been a strange month, of that I can assure you and the anxiety that has bubbled up at weird times has not been helpful, but I have been working on finding a way through it. I hope that it helps.
Listen. Listen. Listen. I used to be a blogger, alright? Back when I was in university, and in high school- when I was in my early 20s and the internet was still a fresh young beast. I was a blogger extraordinaire! I’d write multiple posts a day, and they would be so chaotic, ridiculous, awesome, unfiltered and so… cringe. But, I’d write! I would be writing! These days, I’m lucky if I wash my hair correctly every other day. Keeping up with multiple blogs? Impossible. So you’ll have to forgive my lapses. They will be often. They will be long. But hopefully, they will not be forever 🙂
So let’s get crackin’ then shall we?
Day 20: What can I learn from the wind,, the sky or the air element right now?
Card: The Magician Rx: I learn to take control of the things around me, push forward with power- something I’m lacking at the moment. I can tap into my intuition, see where my power can reach to, and see where it fails.
Day 21: How can I harness the warmth around me to fuel my inner fire?
Card: Guardian of Swords (Queen of Swords) Rx: It’s ok to be emotional- to get upset- to burn brighter and stronger at the things that are unfair in the world. I need to take care not to let the fire consume me, and overwhelm me.
Day 22: How can I use nature as a source of creative inspiration?
Card: 5 of Wands: I can use nature to unravel the anger and resentment coiled away inside of me. The inner battle that rages between making money, making others happy, and making myself happy can be fought and soothed through nature.
Day 23: What should I let flow in? What should I let flow away?
Cards: Flow in: 9 of pentacles Rx, Flow out: Greed (the Devil):
Embrace what I’m worth, I am enough, and I need to recognize it. Let go of overindulgence, hanging onto things I don’t need, and desiring more and more.
Day 24: Where should I give myself freedom?
Card: 3 of swords Rx: Give me the freedom to forgive maybe? To let go of any pain I’m carrying and give myself some kindness- the kind of kindness I give to others but not myself.
The deck used is the Tarot for all ages- a cute one though sometimes tricky to read as the court cards are a bit different and some of the major Arcana are renamed, but it’s a good deck!
Here we go folks- possibly big things in the pipeline for me, which is why I’ve been so busy- sorry about that! Here we go!
Day 18: How can I tap into the natural rhythm of the Earth to find balance?
Deck used: Melanie Eclaire’s Flower Spirit Cards
I don’t feel like I need a card for this one- I just need to take a walk- I did it today. A really lovely person in the tarot discord I like mentioned just like… noticing where the moss is and where it grows- and yeah. Do that. It’s weirdly connecting? I dunno, my head is a mess of stuff, so maybe don’t listen to me.
Card: Hellebore (Flower Oracle cards felt right): I should believe that there is a higher power and a perfect pattern within the universe and relinquish myself to it. Looking further into Hellebore, in Victorian times, apparently it meant delirium (legit, it’s poisonous so fair), and these days it means peace, serenity and tranquility in addition to anxiety, stress and scandal- so just like all the good things and all the bad things at once? Cool. Cool cool cool
Day 19: How or where am I guided to use the power of water for healing?
Card: Evening Primrose: Love. I should use water to help heal my heart. Apparently, it often symbolizes youth, renewal and optimism as it is often the first to bloom in spring. Water can maybe rejuvenate my love for myself. Aww I like that a lot 🙂
Deck used: Melanie Eclaire’s Flower Spirit Cards.
This deck was one of the first oracle decks I’ve ever received and I hated using it because the cards are in a box that’s too small, they’re really bendy, the names of the plants aren’t written on them, and the book that explains everything is glued to the box that it comes in. I thought they might be nice to try for a change though 🙂
Day 16: What qualities do I need to embody to navigate through current challenges:
Card: Infinite Paths (mirror card, The Sun). This is a card that speaks of happiness and asks that you radiate positivity and abundance will make its way to you- overall a very happy, positive card to get 🙂
Day 17: How can I embrace my wild side to live my best authentic life?
Card: Seven of Lotuses (mirror card, 7 of cups/chalices). DECISIONS. This card and the 10 of swords seem to be following me. I guess it’s telling me I need to make the choice of living my authentic life? There are many changes currently happening, and I need to be of two worlds- live on the land and in the water like the frogs and the lotus flowers do.
Deck used: I absolutely love the artwork on this deck, and I would love to have the Prisma Visions tarot. This is the Cosma Visions Oracle (functions as a tarot companion, an alternate tarot deck, and an oracle deck of its own) by James R Eads. If you haven’t, check out his website. He has some of the most beautiful decks and artwork for sale. He also routinely does sales, so sign up for the mailing list to get notified for it!
I’m having a sleepy day today- how about you? Let me know what cards you pull or what you think of this deck in the comments.
Day 15: What can I do today to connect with my inner childlike wonder and curiosity?
Card: Ten of Swords
I should sit with the pain of the past and the present before I try to move past it. I’ve been working on the whole ‘feel your feelings’ thing- I know it sounds silly but I’m one of those people who kind of logics their feelings into submission, but it doesn’t actually help me get past the feelings. I just psychoanalyze them and still feel shitty. Maybe this is a call to stop doing that, and sit with the pain.
Deck used: I’m pretty sure this is a bootlegged version of the Spacious Tarot. It was given to me by a friend who thought it would be a nifty gift, and it is- I like it a lot, but it’s got a real aliexpress-ness about it. The biggest issue with these kinds of decks is that the creator makes no money from them. If it’s an indie creator who you want to see profit from their work, you should do what you can to purchase from them authentically. That being said, your classic RWS, old-fashioned tarot decks are (I’m pretty sure but don’t quote me) within the public realm now- or they should be. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with finding affordable tarot options 🙂 Some decks will run you 150 bucks plus shipping, and if you want to use tarot as a self reflection tool, you shouldn’t be limited to only super pricey decks.
I’ve spent the whole day writing an essay that I feel is way too broad and doesn’t make any sense so I’m juuuuust about typed out but here we go!
Day 13: Where can I use a sense of playfulness and curiosity in my approach to life?
Card: 10 of Swords.
I need to be more vulnerable- I need to take on curiosity into painful endings, betrayal, loss and pain generally. I need to take the pain of the past with a lighter heart and a sense that I’ve moved passed it- I’m in a different place, I’ve grown, I’ve developed. I can explore them and look into why they came about and what I can learn about them- or I can let them move along and leave me be.
It was my birthday on Friday, and now that I feel as if I’ve done enough research for my next paper that’s due, I thought it might be fun to try a birthday spread. I’m going to be using this one from Biddy Tarot (an awesome online resource). There are a lot of birthday spreads out there- I figured this one would be a nice little challenge.
And here’s my spread:
Top row: Eight of Cups, Knight of Wands, The Tower Rx, Nine of Swords Rx, The Hanged Man RX
Middle row: The Wheel of Fortune Rx, The Chariot Rx, The Star, Two of Cups
Bottom row: Three of Cups, Six of Wands, Seven of Cups
The previous year in summary: Walking away from things that didn’t seem to fit me, trying to find my own path in life. I feel like if we take this from the last birthday, it fits really well, as I’ve been trying to make my scholastic dreams happen quite a bit this year, I quit smoking, I changed my eating habits, and I’ve left a lot of things behind.
What have I learned from the past year: I’ve learned how to take charge, go for it, and just apply and see what happens! Make big changes, make big leaps. Sometimes I’ve been too headstrong and I’ve screwed stuff up, too. I’ve definitely made decisions I wasn’t happy with, and rushed into things too quickly- I should have tempered my zeal with some cup vibes.
What I aspire to in the next twelve months: Big money, no whammies. 100%. (real transformation and staying the fuck away from any big problems and concerns) I’M SO HAPPY THIS CARD WAS REVERSED LET ME TELL YOU. The last time this mfer popped up in a yearly reading, I had gallbladder surgery.
What empowers me in reaching my aspirations: Breaking out of negative thoughts and anxiety, or maybe using those to my advantage whenever I can. Overcoming dark thoughts is something I need to continue to work on, even though I’ve come so far (ain’t that the truth).
What may stand in the way of reaching my aspirations: Time. Delays, Waiting. I might feel blocked, or stuck, but whatever it is will wait for me to figure my own shit out and get back to it. I hope these aren’t too delayed- I guess we’ll have to wait and find out.
My relationships and emotions in the coming year: Well, I don’t like the look of this. I’m going to take this card as a sign that I need to take control and prioritize my relationships and friendships whenever I can. I think I’ve already started on this path, so hopefully, it’ll continue.
My career, work and finances: I need to have discipline within myself- reign in the spending, be more mindful of my finances. The money might not come like it used to, it might be slowed down. I need to think about what is most important and how I can use work and finances to achieve this- for me, this is school stuff, so I need to prioritize spending instead of buying yet another seven tarot decks.
My health and well-being: Hope! Faith! Yes! I am hopeful that many of my longstanding health issues will be resolved this year, and I hopefully will be able to have more stability in my health and in my sense of self. I’ve been waiting almost 2 years to have a problem with my eye fixed, so this is an incredibly welcome relief.
My spiritual energy and inner fulfilment: Ooo interesting. Love, relationships, my cups will be filled maybe by myself or maybe (probably) by others- this is interesting with the card for 6- the wheel of fortune reversed… Hmm. Have to percolate on this one.
What I most need to focus on for the year ahead: PARTYING! Letting myself go, being free, getting together with the people who bring me love and joy. Oh, I like this card. I like this card very much.
What will be my most important lesson in the coming year: Learning how to lead others and to accept their accolades when I am successful- I think this is directly related to a job I’m looking forward to this summer. I’ll be in charge of a lot of folks, and this is new for me, but hopefully, this card speaks of success in this endeavour.
Overall, where am I headed in the next twelve months: I’m headed into the realm of choices (gd I’ve been getting a lot of this card lately????!!!) and hopefully I won’t end up like Plath’s fig tree, stuck in perpetual fear of choosing one of the options until they all rot away and expire.
Alright, folks- let me know what little rituals you have for your birthday in the comments!
Whoops! It was my birthday on Friday, and I spent it travelling to see a specialist in Halifax, so these got a bit delayed but here they are! I’m also going to try and do a yearly recap and plan for this coming year in the next couple of posts. But first!
Day 10: What can I do to cultivate a deeper appreciation for my current journey?
Card: Four of Cups
Meditation! I need to sit and percolate on how far I’ve come, and I need to be mindful of not turning away options and new choices that present themselves (as well as the ones I’ve already got in front of me now).
Day 11: What can I learn from the plants and the trees I find around me right now?
Card: The Fool Rx (reversed).
Uncertainty, taking too many risks and not knowing what’s going to happen in the future. Go slow, have faith that the safety net will be there when you need it.
Day 12: What is the significance of animals I am currently seeing or hearing?
Card: Justice Rx.
I need to take accountability for my own mistakes, take into account my own biases, and show both myself and the creatures around me some kindness.
Deck used: This Might Hurt.
What do you think of my readings? That last one really threw me for a loop… hmm. Let me know in the comments!
The prompt for day 9 is: How can the Universe help me manifest what I want to attract?
Card pulled: 2 of Swords.
It looks like the universe is going to give me some difficult options to choose from, and I’m going to have to figure out how to navigate that. This kind of reading piques my curiosity, so I’m going to pull a couple of oracle cards to clarify.
Clarifier cards: The Hind and The Horse.
The hind is a card of subtle and feminine expression, and the horse is a card of travel and exploration. The horse seems to be on the move, graceful and purposeful, while it seems like we’ve caught the hind unawares, in her own realm, tucked away in secret. Maybe these choices will be different in the way they present themselves- one obvious and showy, the other subtle and quiet. If that’s the case, I might miss the subtle and quiet one all together!
The tarot deck used for day 9 was the same as in my last post, This Might Hurt. It’s a rocking good deck.
The oracle deck I’ve used here is one I’ve had since I was like…10? Maybe? The cards are huge, and I struggle with the symbolism, but I bought it at like a Chapters because I was super into Celtic everything (I was trying to find myself through my ethnicity/ancestral background) and I liked animals- I still do! I figured I’d give it a bash and see how it goes. The cards themselves are stunning, but I find the imagery difficult to link and remember. It’s called The Druid Animal Oracle and mine came with a beautiful book and a reading cloth.
I did absolutely nothing all day yesterday and it was magical, although now it means a day of catch-up! So I present to you, the prompts from the last two days :).
Day 7: How can I use nature to cultivate a deeper sense of inner peace?
Cards drawn: 6 of Pentacles Rx, and Page of Swords Rx.
Surrounding myself with nature will help to replenish my empty tanks, and give myself the opportunity to be a bit ‘selfish’ and focus on self-care (6 of Pentacles Rx). In doing this, I can help to silence the constant uncertain questions that bounce around in my head, wondering if I’m making the right choices, or if I’m headed down the wrong path (Page of Swords Rx).
You know it’s a bit strange but we do seem to think of self-care as selfishness when we first get into it. Why should I be spending on myself, focusing only on myself when I should be giving to and thinking of others- and while a healthy sense of altruism is a good thing to have, you cannot give to others if you have nothing within you to give. The old saying ‘you can’t pour from an empty cup’ is true when it comes to taking care of yourself. There’s nothing wrong with making sure you’re meeting your own needs first.
Day 8: What inner strength can I draw on to empower myself?
Card pulled: 7 of Swords
I can use my ability to strategize to my advantage- or maybe I can steal a bunch of stuff? hahaha 🙂
The deck I’ve used here is one of my favourites, and I’m so happy I bought it- It’s called This Might Hurt and it’s one of the decks I personally have connected really well with. It seems really easy for me to read, most of the time, and I really like the way the creator has designed and linked the ideas through her own lens. It’s queer inspired and you’ll see a lot of female kings, and mix gender pages. There’s also representation for all sizes, shapes, skin tones and of different disabilities. I really like this deck, and if the indie printing price tag is too high for you or it’s not available where you are right now, you’re in luck! It’s been picked up for mass production and should be available this summer on amazon or other witchy metaphysical shops near you at a much lower sticker price.
So, what do you like to do for self-care? What cards did you pull? What do you think of my interpretation? Tell me in the comments!!
Day 5: How can I use, or embrace my natural environment to help me with my current journey?
Cards pulled: The Pathfinder (mirror card Page of Pentacles), The Phoenix (mirror card the Hierophant), 5 of Birds (mirror card 5 of Swords).
The pathfinder in this deck is the one who works hard to find his way through life and through his struggles and problems, and as such, I think is encouraging me to keep working hard at school and at work (the systems in my life may be referenced here with the Phoneix), but not to push myself past the point of no return (5 of swords). I have to remember to slow down and take it easy whenever I can.
The deck used here is the Cosma Vision Oracle from James R Eads. I think this particular deck is absolutely stunning, especially with the navy blue foiling around the edges. It can be a bit tricky for a novice to read because the suits are different, the court cards (King, Queen, Page and Knight) are their own suit with different names, and the major arcana has changed as well. That being said, the little guidebook is incredibly helpful, and if you have a basic understanding of RWS systems, this isn’t so hard to follow. It’s a *teeny weeny* bit expensive, but the website often runs sales, and if you keep an eye on it, you can snag it for a discounted price.
What cards did you pull? What do you think about decks with different major arcana representations? Tell me in the comments!
Tardy to the party for day 3 (sorry) I’m going to combine those mofos together.
And also? I am not very good at tarot photography it turns out. I am not bad at photography generally, but I am terribly out of practice. This is less than ideal. I know. I’m sorry. Hopefully my photos get better!
Today I’ll be using an oracle deck as well. Oracle decks aren’t the same as tarot decks- they have no set number of cards, or set imagery that they should cover. They mean whatever the creator wants them to mean (and usually they come with a little book to explain what they mean). They can be used on their own, with tarot decks and tarot spreads, or a mixture of both- there’s no wrong way to use oracle cards! Now! Onto the prompt:
Day 3: What part of me and I encouraged to show, express or share (more)?
Cards pulled: Strength reversed (Rx), The Empress, and 4 of wands Rx.
For me, this reading means I should be proud of my current physical transformations* because I’ve managed to stay the course and not falter on my goals. I’m beginning to feel tired, and I don’t really want to do it any more, and I think this reading wants me to be more self-confident and proud of what I’ve achieved, so I can continue!
The deck used here is The Modern Witch Tarot– one of my firsts and one of my favourites (and in my opinion: one of the few mass market decks with decent quality card stock for not a billion dollars but whatever). Highly recommend this deck: female-centred, traditional RWS-based deck for those on a budget.
Day 4: Where am I to use my instincts and follow my intuition? Why is this important for me?
Cards pulled: The Duck and Chrysanthemum (Luck), The Hare and the Oak (new opportunities), The Hound and Pear (loyalty).
Hmm… I keep getting cards about new opportunities lately- and choices, they seem to be following me and I’m really not sure why because I thought I knew everything on the go at the moment. I think this reading is telling me that I need to keep my eyes open and follow my instinct when it comes to new opportunities and lucky chances (maybe I should be buying lotto tickets, lol). Loyalty could be why this is important to me- maybe it’s telling me that I should follow my intuition when it comes to the new happenings in my life and that the loyal lovelies in my life will have my back, no matter what.
The deck used here is an oracle deck! Very popular at the moment, it’s Woodland Wardens– a series of animal and plant pairings and a cute little guide book to go with them.
What do you think? What cards did you pull today? Let me know in the comments!
Happy readings 💛💛
-Madame Starbeam
*I’ve been trying to lose weight, as I’m quite heavy, and it’s at the point where it’s bad for my health, bad for my back, bad for the longevity of my mattress, etc. I would like to be able to climb a flight of stairs and not feel winded, and I would like to feel comfortable flying economy- not like I’ve been crow-bared in and out of the seat. I’ve been at it since October, and I’ve lost just about 22lbs (the bigger thing is, I’ve stuck to my eating plan, something I’ve never been able to do before).
Madame Starbeam's Tarot Journey 