Choose Wisely

The Magician, The Tower, Page of Swords - Tarot of the Magical Forest

Your thoughts create reality.  Choose good ones.

or

When you cause a storm, don't be surprised if you get wet.

"But be careful what you wish for cause
you just might get it
you just might get it 
you just might get it"~The Pussycat Dolls


 

Short and Sweet

Knave of Swords, The Fool, King of Wands - Tarot of the Magical Forest

The first impulse I got when I turned these cards over was, "You need to get control of your thoughts, girlfriend. This is a brand new journey, and it's just the beginning. You will be the master of your impulses and cravings, and you will accomplish your goals."

Now head over to my other blog to see why I needed a pep talk today.


 

Living Fearlessly for Weight Loss

I found a spread at Tarot Quest that I decided to give a try.  I've been feeling stuck in my weight loss efforts, and it is extremely frustrating because I've been working hard at it over the last couple of months without seeing any results.  This reading got to the deeper issue, which I must say, was not a surprise.  I've just been tackling the issue as if it were solely a physical one and ignoring the real issue even though I know that carrying extra weight is just a symptom of something inside that needs healing.

The Spread:

****** 7 ******
****** 6 ******
*** 4 **** 5 ***
****** 3 ******
****** 2 ******
****** 1 ******
CARD ONE: The Root cause of my issue.
CARD TWO: Why am I faced with such an issue within my life?
CARD THREE: What can I do to heal it?
CARD FOUR: What’s helping me heal it?
CARD FIVE: What’s the major obstacle in my path of healing?
CARD SIX: Advice and Guidance.
CARD SEVEN: The Result of my healing journey.

Using The Joie De Vivre Tarot I drew:

1: Ace of Coins
2. The Hermit
3. Ace of Cups
4. Eight of Cups
5. Death
6. The Wheel
7. Page of Swords

The root cause of my weight gain is that I don't feel safe.  I worry about how to pay for the things we need every day.  I worry about my health.  I don't trust that all is working for my best.  I have doubts about eternity and God and that there is any purpose to this life.  My root cause is fear and insecurity.

I'm faced with this issue so I can learn and help others.  Ultimately, these weight issues will draw me toward the inner wisdom I possess.  It will bring me face to face with God, with love itself.  This is not a physical battle.  It is a spiritual fight that is manifesting physically.










To heal this, I need to let my heart be wide open.  I need to trust, forgive and love.  I am so guarded, and I can't remember exactly when that happened, but it's time to let my defenses down and let people in again.  And maybe not just people, but love.

I am seeking answers, and that is helping me right now.  This spiritual quest is important and I'm on the right track there, but I need to let go even more.  I need to stop fearing the fundamental change that is necessary to heal.  Again, I need to let go of fear and embrace transformational love. 

I think the wheel is just echoing what I've already said.  Trust the divine order of things.  Everything is already working for my best.  Trust.  There are forces at work that I do not control.  Surrender.

The page of swords represents the beginning of my healing.  It is me moving out of depression, away from fear, and gaining new confidence.   

At first I was disappointed that I didn't see something like The Sun or The World as the outcome card, but after thinking about it, I think that page of swords is perfect.  My goal here is not to be able to say, "I've arrived," or to experience some kind of completion.  My real goal, as illuminated by this reading, is to live fearlessly.  I've been wanting that for a long time.  The page here looks fearless and joyful.  He still has a lot to learn, but he is doing so with confidence, and he is enjoying the journey.  That is my real goal.



When I was out walking today I did a lot of thinking about this reading.  I did some praying too.  I told God that I didn't know how to trust, and I didn't know how to let go of my fears, insecurities, and past hurts.  I told him or her that my bottom line was I wanted to be changed.  I wanted a switch to be flipped that would make me a different person.  

The answer I received was that the switch has already been flipped, and now I just need to be patient and trust while the change that has already occurred unfolds.  I can just be.  That doesn't mean I should stop taking my walks or that I should stop trying to eat healthfully.  Those things are part of the change that has already taken place.  I won't wake up in a different body tomorrow.  I won't even wake up suddenly thinking or feeling differently, but I am on the way.  I am learning to trust.  I am learning to live a life without fear, just like that Page of Swords.

 

Onward!

Knave of Swords -
Tarot of the Magical Forest

How interesting that today I drew the Knave of Swords, which comes right after the card I drew yesterday.  Yesterday I was replaying last weekend's events over and over in my mind, but today I've moved forward and have made a solid decision about the situation.  However, I'm still feeling unsure.


This knave is moving forward but still looks backward pensively.  The sky around him is dark and foreboding. Maybe a storm is approaching.

I don't know how to tell my friends that I won't be showing up at our favorite gathering place anymore.  I see some of them in other places.  We get together at each others' houses for parties and stuff like that, but some of them I never see anywhere but there.  I'm afraid I'll lose touch.  I'm afraid my friends will try to talk me out of my decision, so I want to avoid the conversation completely, but if I'm being honest, I've been thinking I needed a break from spending time at this place for quite a while now, even before the shock of this past weekend.  I've been going less and less frequently, unable to completely let go.

Yes, this card portrays my feelings perfectly, but I want to look a little deeper for advice.  I'd say that it's telling me to do what I know I need to do even though I have reservations.  I don't know what the road ahead looks like, but I need to just keep taking the next step.

I don't know what I'll tell my friends, but I know what I have to do.

The Root of the Problem

This is what a typical Celtic Cross
therapy sessionreading of mine looks like. Beware.  This is straight from my notebook, complete with incomplete thoughts and bad grammar.

I asked how I could let go of negative feelings and past issues that are still holding me back and keeping me from accomplishing my goals.

1. What covers me: King of Cups reversed: I'm having difficulty controlling my emotions...turning to Biddy Tarot for some help:"The King of Cups may depend too much on others and view himself through the eyes of others."

Yes! Just minutes before pulling these cards I was just thinking about how I've been seeing myself through the eyes of the person who hates me most for the last five years.  Wow! Tarot gets me.

2. What crosses me:  Five of Cups:  Trouble letting go of the past...forgiveness is needed to move on.  Feeling defeated.  How interesting that this card comes up over and over for me.  This really is how I'm feeling.  One step forward, two steps back, I can't gain any ground.  "Woe is me."

Five of Cups - Revelations Tarot

3. What is above me/my goal/desired outcome:  Knight of Swords reversed:  I want to gain control over thought that lead to negativity and bitterness.  Perhaps I need to slow down because I'm trying to accomplish too much.  I may burn out.  Perhaps my goals are reckless and need balance.

4.  What is before me/Next step or event:  Page of Swords reversed:  Confused.  Is this advice or what I should do or likely next event?  I'm seeing, "bite your tongue," or, "Don't say everything you think."  Ah-ha!  maybe it means, "Stop saying such awful things about yourself to yourself."

Page of Swords - Revelations Tarot

5. What is below me/root of the problem:  Six of Wands reversed:  Conflict.  Looking backward.  Dwelling on the past.  Help from Biddy Tarot:  "You are lacking confidence and need the recognition and support of others to pick you up and give you strength again."

That did happen after the incident I'm remembering...the one I still let bother me.  I depended on the admiration of others to prove that I was not the person I was being accused of being.  I sought this out.  I became addicted to it.  I did get a lot of attention and admiration at the time.  It was both healing and hurtful. The dependence on it is what has been hurtful.

6.  What is behind me:  Eight of Wands:  Regaining passion.  Rising to the surface.  Waking up.  New ideas, moving forward with plans.  Yes, I have been working hard to do just that, and I have felt at times like I am waking up from a long sleep.

7.  My thoughts, feelings, and attitude about the situation:  Four of Swords:  If I could just conquer negative thinking I would feel peace.  I need to take time to rest, relax, contemplate, step away from the battle.

8.  My environment:  Ace of Wands reversed:  I don't have the means to put all of those 8 of wands ideas into action.  Frustrating delays.  Lack of direction.  "Where do I start?"

9.  Hopes and/or fears:  Nine of Swords:  Anguish.  "I can't control these thoughts."  Fear. Fear is so much a part of my life, or has been.  From Biddytarot.com:  "The nine of swords can indicate that you are being incredibly hard on yourself, putting yourself down or engaging in negative self-talk."

Oh boy, is this ever the truth!  In fact, this theme is appearing over and over in my life.  The need to talk more gently to myself, to stop beating myself up, to learn to love myself is so apparent, and yet, such a struggle for me.

10.  Outcome:  Six of Cups:  Contentment, peace, happiness, a return to a more child-like faith and a return to a more confident me.  A good outcome!  Worth letting go of resentments and negative thoughts and feelings.

A lot of swords in this reading.  Definitely a mental battle.  My takeaway?  Make a concerted effort to say nice things to myself.  To STOP the self-hate talk that is ongoing in my head.  Forgive.  Let go of the need to please.  STOP placing such importance on how others see me.  Try to see myself through the eyes of someone who adores me.