Monthly Challenge: The TTD Mental Health: Day 1

Day 1: Pull a card. What healthy qualities of this archetype do you embody?

Card: 8 of cups.

8 of cups from Tarot for All Ages

Positive qualities: moving on, leaving negative situations, moving forward, trying to start fresh.

From my previous experience, this has a negative and a positive aspect to it. I’ve been able to get up and move somewhere new, and start fresh, my whole life. It’s basically how I’ve lived for the last 12 years! I’ve moved from country to country, new workplace and new friends, and it’s been amazing in so many ways, but it’s also been incredibly difficult in ways I didn’t expect.

You’d expect there to be difficulties in meeting people, adjusting to new cultures and countries and ways of living and that’s true- but the real difficulty is how it feels when you decide to settle back in the country you’re from. There’s a kind of reverse culture shock, which is normal and it’s something you can get used to, especially when you consider that it’s a normal part of readjustment. There’s a really cool graph of the challenges most people experience when they move to a new culture, and then attempt to reacclimatize to your home country.

Something that most people don’t mention, or maybe that most people don’t speak about, is that it’s very difficult to fit in when you’ve never really stayed in the same place for very long. You have no problem getting along with people who have had similar life experiences to you- people who’ve immigrated, or lived in a different place before. They seem to understand what it’s like to have different points of reference within your life, different priorities and different values and the way they’ve changed as your life shifts. It’s hard to find people who have maintained similar goals at your age, or who value the experiences you’ve had. It can feel incredibly isolating, and I’m sure it’s not something only I’ve experienced.

Hmm. A good card for further thought!

What card did you draw? How does it reflect your life?

Happy Readings!💛💛💛

-Madame Starbeam

Monthly Challenge: Lionharts’ Light My Fire: Day 22 and 23

Day 22: How can I break free from patterns that no longer serve me and hinder my growth?

Card: King of Cups: Tap into my abilities to control my emotions or seek out someone who uses their emotions as a catalyst to move forwards in life- a good therapist or a friend perhaps?

Day 23: What inner wisdom can I tap into to make empowered decisions for myself?

Card: Three of Cups: Get together with the girls to gather my thoughts and make a plan- two heads are better than one? Empathetic socially driven wisdom will help me make the right decisions for myself.

I’ve used a new (!!!) deck I’ve just got that I really, really like for this set. It’s called Creatures Tarot, and it’s by an amazing artist called Sara Kathleen. She’s amazing, and this deck is a gem. It smells beautifully of ink, reminding me of tattoos, and the cards have such a beautiful bounce that I’m not afraid of bending them. The illustrations are simple, and straightforward and her philosophies on making things attainable for others are awesome sauce. If you get a chance to check this deck out or pick it up in her shop, you won’t be disappointed!!!

Happy Readings 💛💛

-Madame Starbeam

Monthly Challenge: Lionharts’ WanderLust: Day 2

The prompt for today is:

Day 2: What is ready to take shape or manifest for me?

Card drawn: 9 of Vessels (cups for this deck)

It’s starting to look like I might have a card that’s following me… choices, choices, choices. Opportunities are opening up for me (really? I’m not sure what they might be, to be honest with you…) and choices are there to manifest. Now just to choose the right one!

I’ve been reading a lot about making decisions and choices in some of the classes I’m taking at the moment. Did you know that there are theories for decision-making? If you’re the kind of person who sometimes feels stuck when it comes to making big decisions, I encourage you to check out some of the theories behind how people make decisions- question your motivations, the benefits of both, and exactly why you need to make the decision in the first place.

The deck used here is Ari Wisner’s Transient Light Tarot, which was sustainably created, and almost always gives me super positive vibes. It’s LGBTQIA+ friendly, with a lack of gender specificity, and a general feeling of inclusivity that I love. Check it out!

What card did you pull for today’s challenge? Let me know in the comments.

Happy readings 💛💛

-Madme Starbeam