Tarot Blog Hop- Imbolc 2012

This year I am very pleased to be a part of a tarot readers Round-Robin. You are continuing your blog hop journey from Kareena's  fantastic blog Tarot Musings . The theme is "How can I be a better candle?" What this says to me, is how can I improve mySelf in order to inspire others.  I decided to use the Universal Goddess deck to find answers to this question.

Every year on February 2 many people in the Northern hemisphere celebrate Imbolc. If in the Southern hemisphere, August 1.  It is also known as Candlemas or St. Brigit's Day. It marks the midpoint of winter and the renewed hope of spring. For many people around the globe, February is a hard month. It has been cold, snowy, or icy for a long period of time now and it can seem like it will never end. This is a day that is all about finding the will to continue on. It is a day of hope and the promise of the fresh, new possibilities of spring.



Things Associated with Imbolc
• dawn
• fire/candles
• yellow flowers
• goats and sheep
• candles
• spring cleaning
• courage
• healing
•hope
• maiden goddess

IMBOLC 2012 - HOW CAN I BE A BETTER CANDLE?

1. How can I create healing in my own life? 2 of Wands -  I am drawn to the two little boys sparring with their wands. This is the internal conflict within myself. The one side that is positive and hopeful battling the more negative aspect who likes to tell me "I'm not being negative, I'm just being realistic." The giant tortise is reminding me that I need to keep a steady pace in moving forward. The scene is set out in the desert, a place that is known for being barren. Yet here we see the goddess interacting with her children in various forms. I can bring healing to my life by focusing on all of the many things that I have to be thankful for. I do believe in the validity of the law of attraction. No matter how harsh things are, I have to have single-minded focus on creating the life I DO want. Not get caught up in thoughts about what  I don't want. That will automatically bring healing.

2. How will that assist me in bringing hope to others? -  3 of pentacles - I need to look at all of the things I have accomplished, all of the many ominous, proverbial dragons ,so to speak, that I have slayied. I tend to underestimate my accomplishments from a misguided sense of humility. I need to realize that this is counter productive to remaining confident and hopeful. It do not serve my Self, the goddess, or others. But by maintaining that seingle-minded focus of creating the life I want and drawing strength from the challenges I have experienced I can help others to have a sense of hope that they too can thrive in spite of adversity.

3. What areas do I need to be more courageous? -  7 of swords - I was kind of stumped at first when I drew this card. I mean, the 7ofSw usually has very negative connotations. But as I just read that card for what it is actually saying to me right now, not what it is "supposed" to mean, I see the goddess Blodewedd as weell as the swords displayed on the wall. This continues with the theme of self-confidence. I need to stop looking to others for acceptance or validation and be confident in my own intellect and in trust my own mind regardless of others opinions.
It also speaks to some information I recieved last week with regard to some very cruel, nasty and hurtful lies someone told about me. I need to have the courage to just let all of that go. We are no longer friends and knew we never would be based on their past actions. I need to completely cut ties  of those who turned their back on me and neither defended me nor at the very least stayed nutural. Only two people had the courage to stand up to several others who were so ugly. I have the utmost respect for them.

4. What area do needs the most emotional house cleaning? Queen of Pentacles - As a Capricorn, this is my card and today especially this depiction makes all the sense in the world. I went to the doctor today. I need to deal with the fact that I may not be able to have children. I've never been convinced that I wanted them, but I was definitely not convinced I didn't. But now that my choice has most likely been taken away from me, I am not happy one little bit. I by no means wrap my identity around being a mom. If I did, I would have had one by now. I first got this news back in August but have put off dealing with it because there are so many more pressing issues in my life that really must be dealt with immedeiately. But that line of thought is also a big part of why I chose not to have any. This card is telling me I need to deal with this and not get stuck the feelings of anger and bitterness at either my choices or what  the hand that fate has dealt me and move on with my life.

5.Where do I need to start on my mission to becoming a better candle? - Judgement XX - I see the goddess
Ceridwen looking at her reflection in her cauldron. The song "Dream On" by Aerosmith just popped in my head. The first line is, "Every time that I look in the mirror, all these lines in face getting clearer. The past is gone. It went out like dust to dawn." I need to start being an inspiration to others by letting go of the past and stop judging mySelf so harshly. That way I can move into the next phase of my life and implement the wisdom of the crone and use the wisdom I have gained in my 40 years to help whomever the goddess puts in my past. And to dream on. Dream until my dreams come true!

I hope that this post in and of itself sheds light on your journey and helps you to discover how to become a better candle. Please continue on the blog hop journey by visiting La Vonne's blog.

Full Moon Spread

I am so damn tired my eyelids are begging me to allow them to close, but I really want to try this spread I just found on the Tarot Dame's blog. She said she got it from Aclectic Tarot. I think I am just so excited b/c Rhiannon just messaged me to say she checked out the blog and was pleased and proud of my last post! Pretty freakin' cool to have the person who created the deck you used give you approval!!!! And since it is the last night of the full moon, I want to take the opportunity to use that energy.

Full Moon Spread

1. Moon Cycles: What old patterns am I still spinning around in?
Ace of Wands-- This is SO embarrassingly true! I get all hyped about something and all excited but don't ever finish shit! I look at the pyramids and see that i need to remember that to create anything of value and beauty takes a lot of follow-through and commitment. You can't just  get board or get disappointed or get lazy and just say screw it! There is always gonna be some bullshit to deal with is what the desert says to me. Conditions will sometimes be extreme and not working in my favor. A lot of hard work and sweat may be involved. But when I look at the green leaves sprouting out of the ahnk, it reminds me that I am the one to create new karma in my life. I have to stop getting caught up in negative thinking and seeing all the reasons why things won't work out, because that just creates the reality I don't want: things not working out! Bast is the goddess of cats. I have to stop with the victim mentality that is so unattractive and exhibit the confidence of a cat with 9 lives. I just got the image of a black cat walking along the top of a fence in the moonlight. He is confident he won't fall and if he does that he will land on his feet. Not taking advantage of the new creative opportunities I am given is such a lame pattern. And then I have nerve to wonder why I so often feel stuck! Ha!

2. Moon Magnetism: What am I attracted to?
Knight of Wands-- Big dreams and big time excitement that may be somewhat romanticized. I am attracted to being on the move, on the go and anything fun. The rainbow makes me think of "rainbow moments" which for met translated in to saying no when I need to. It just thought of how Susan said once that being grown is the ability to tell yourself no. There is no easy, quick fix in life. I've got to be more grounded and disciplined (note, there is not one earth card in the bunch!) in stead of flitting off to do what is more attractive and fun, yet not at all smart. Work first, then play.

3. Lunar Influences: How the moon affects me...
2 of Wands-- This seems kinda tricky to answer. I mean, I have always LOVED the moon and been so drawn to it. I used to stare at it when I'd say the Hail Mary as a child, having no idea about magick or The Goddess at that time. I see the boys fighting. Does the moon cause me to be more feisty?? Inner turmoil?? I just got the message that I need to block against psychic attacks. 2's are about choices, balance, decisions, equality. Wands are about passion, creativity, energy, drive. Am I more driven to create balance and choose to make decisions that create what I am passionate about?? I'm gonna have to study this one.

4. Old Man MOon: What in my past is returning?
7 of Wands-- Hopefully this means a fighting spirit that will never surrender to anything or one who will try to take away what is mine by intimidation or trickery. Or it can be the fact that I need to get my own place and the troubles surrounding all of that. I see the woman fighting with this guy, I feel like she knows him and he is trying to attack her so she has to defend herself and stand up for what's right. Or it can be depression I have to be so mindful of since it is so sneaky and tends to return in cycles.

5. Moon Dreams: What my subconscious wants to tell me....
6 of Cups-- Let go of old emotional baggage KrystenLOL!)

OMFG I AM SO PISSED!! I just wrote a ton of REALLY good stuff here and it has somehow managed to get erased!!!!!!!!!

I do at least remember that one thing was how much I miss being a F/A and I need to get on that shit.

6. Moon Reflections: Illusions and delusions
3 of Swords-- So this is about what is skewing me from seeing reality in a clear light. The first thing to jump out at me is the well in the background and it makes me think of The Star card in The Faulkner Tarot. That negative tape that goes off in my head of how bad things are or what heart aches I've had in the past keeps me from having hope and faith that no matter how unhappy I am or how jacked up things are, I have got to know that I am surrounded by angels who are constantly looking out for me, so do NOT get caught up in that hopeless mindset!! It's victim bullshit and it keeps me from living in the now because I'm so freaked out about the future because I'm still stuck on the past!! I see the three fates, and I am thinking of how I need to remember that fate is not set in stone. Our lives may be predestined, but our choices at every turn of our lives can change the course of our lives completely. I have to cut the cord to what keeps me living in the past or in a negative mindset. Because that's how I end up breaking my own heart.


Another thing I want to make note of is the E.D. There are 4 fire cards out of 6! There is 1 air, 1 cup and NO earth. To me this says that the air of the 3ofSw will encourage all that fire to keep me motivated and inspired. The one water card shows I am in an emotional place to a certain extent, but it is not controlling me or an unhealthy thing. The lack of earth clearly proves how up in the air my life is and how I so desperately want and need to be grounded, to heal my back, and to make some damn money!!!