SUN HARVEST: Lammas 2018 Tarot Blog Hop (the original one)

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Theme: “The Sun Harvest”
The Sun Harvest — What end of summer harvest do you want to bring in before fall (spring for those on the other side of the equator)?

Many words must go here before Wednesday 8/1 2pm

Harvest. Too often we think of this as something done in fields or gardens with tractors or baskets. Harvest is so much bigger than that. At the start of this year, I set up a few goals using my Metaphysicians Day Planner (it is coming soon so make sure you are on Benebell’s list!) That link is just to tell you about it. I said I wanted to some things. I wrote those things down. I didn’t really follow up on using my planner after about May. I’m going to get back into it. As soon as I remember where I put it…

Anyway, I wanted to teach a class, write a book, improve housekeeping skills as at least three of my goals. So now is the time to look  at not just those ideas I  planted but the work I put into them. Benign neglect really isn’t that great as a metaphor for growth work. I wish it were but it is really only true for tomatoes (and the like) in really good weather conditions.

Truth be told, I’m not currently experiencing really good weather conditions. I’m struggling to seek joy, but, by the Gods, I will do it. This is temporary. I’m pretty much chanting that to myself. The only reason I’m doing this post is … it’s my turn to wrangle. Kinda shitty to not actually do a blog.

One of the other things I wanted to do this year was to be authentic. Now there’s a self-fulfilling prophecy if I’ve ever uttered one. And? Harvesting that shit right now. I’m not doing my daily Facebook messages due to a tooth-and-nail battle with depression. The kind that has me snot-crying while cleaning the kitchen or curling up for four-hour naps. TIP: There is no such thing as a four-hour nap. That’s a four-hour crash-and-burn escape. 

Back to harvest. Back before this current medically-induced depression episode  (true story…I put in my refill request two days early but my THEN provider didn’t bother to call me to tell me I needed to come in. So I went for a week thinking it was the pharmacy’s fault when it wasn’t. When I called the provider, she was flat-out rude to me (confirmed by my husband unit who heard the conversation.) I’m changing providers obviously. ANYWHO! Harvest. Sun. Tarot Blog. I am a one-track whine today! Yes, today. I’m writing this local time noon. HA! Two hours to blog launch.

Class. That was one of my seeds at the beginning of the year. I had my 30 Days & 30 Ways out. Then I re-released my Trust Your Gut Intuitive Tarot (9 weeks) class as a self-paced class too. I really wanted to be a part of Ethony Dawn’s Tarot Reader Acacademy’s Summer School. I  reached out to her to let her know that I would like to be a part of the 2019 masters if she had room. Turns out she had room for this iteration. My class just went live 7/26. I’ve already gotten several pieces  of feedback. One which  said, ”

I just had to share that I am thoroughly enjoying a freaking fantastic course by Arwen Lynch Poe via the Tarot Academy. I admit I can have a snobbish attitude at times after about 38 years of studying (and practicing) Astrology & Tarot, but let me tell you, when I hit upon something that actually is not only fun, but EFFECTIVE, I just have to give credit where credit is due: Arwen’s course on Spellcrafting with Tarot & the Hero’s Journey has shifted some major pieces in my Psyche! I’ve been teaching Hero’s Journey work in my Astrological practice and in my Lunar Priestess program, so I’m very familiar with the material..AND again, this format and the prompts that Arwen has in her Tarot course (plus her related book which is on Amazon), have truly given me profound insights and TOOLS that I was able to immediately apply to my Life. Take this post for what it’s worth my friends: A glowing THANK YOU to a fellow Tarot journeyer who truly opened up new pathways for a proverbial ‘know-it-all’ (yes, the Pisces in me tries to keep ‘that’ part of Sagittarius in check, lol). Go, check it out, sign up and shift: ”

So that was a lovely piece of harvest bonus today.

I also wanted to write a book. That didn’t happen but I have been working on a USGames project that is close to done. See latest project here: Practical Wisdom Tarot.

Last I wanted to improve housekeeping skills. Y’all, I truly suck at housekeeping. I’ve gotten better but generally because the husband unit reminds me. Seriously, if you judge others because they have a messy house, add me to that list.

So that’s my first harvest for the year. Lammas is a first harvest festival with Mabon and Samhain being the next two.  OH! I did manage to get two issues of the Cartomancer out (next one is for Fall then Winter. ) What’s your harvest been like?

Here’s a spread to help if you like.

HARVESTING SPREAD

1. Seed: This is what you want to grow so pick this card intentionally
2. Ground: This is where you need to plant the seed
3. Fertilizer: This is what you need to help the seed to grow
4. Work: This is what you must focus on for the best growth
5. Harvest: This is the reward of the growth. Rather than the seed, this is what potential comes from the work.

Here are the cards I drew (with the first one being intentional). The shape is apropos of nothing. It just worked on my scanner. This deck is the Our Tarot by Sarah Shipman.

(image not loading. Blaming it on Mercury Rx. Will try again later.)

Seed: The Emperor shown as Victoria (one of my all-time favorite royal personages) is the card I picked for my seed. I want to be in charge of my own life in such a way that I can set rules and boundaries. This is a freedom I crave. I need more financial autonomy which is one of the things the Emperor makes me think of. First quote from Victoria? “We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat. They do not exist.” Well alright then, Queen Victoria.

Ground: Four of Swords with Simone Weil. Plant this intention in a calm, quiet way. Find a place within that is sheltered from anxiety. Make a meditation garden within. Interestingly enough, here is the quote that came up when I googled her. <i “>To be rooted is perhaps the most important and least recognized need of the human soul. I think that speaks very well to the ground.

Fertilizer: Two of Cups with the Ladies of Llangollen, Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby. Their love for one another eschewed all societal demands. They chose to live with one another even after their families tried to force them apart. They are presumed, perhaps erroneously, to have had a sexual relationship. But this fertilizer tells me to love this seed into being. To not let my own or anyone else’s perceived criticism cause it to shrivel and die. Couldn’t find a quote from these two other than books and plays.

Work: Ace of Swords with Dr. Mae Jemison, the first black female astronaut. Pioneer, much?  Trailblazer, much? The first quote from her is “Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.” That plays quite nicely into the idea of work that must be done and done and done some more. No limits.

Harvest: The Lovers portrayed by Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr who cofounded Hull House in 1889. More pioneers for the harvest. I think this says that I can expect my harvest to be something of a pioneering nature. So is it something that will be pioneering for me in the since that it will be a discovery of self? Or is it pioneering for others? I guess that remains to be seen.  The first quote I found from Jane Addams: “The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.” Good for all or it’s not good enough

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