10s Archives < Arwen, Professional Joy Seeker

Are Happies Expandable?

Today’s card is from another brand new deck from Schiffer. This time it’s the Healing Tarot by Juno Lucina and Monica Knighton. I’m a huge fan of Monica’s work. She happens to be here in Austin so I’ve had the distinct pleasure of meeting her once at an event (and snatching up some of her wearable art!)

I’m really torn on how I feel about this deck. On the one hand, it’s black and white which I love. On the other hand the images seem to be lacking something.

However, as I study this card more, I find that what is lacking is me. It’s not that there is no color. It’s that I am not filling in the color in my head. Once I start doing that, this card comes to life.

I love the small things on this card. There are three mushrooms (which I think might be the poisonous angel’s cap). Those remind me that a loving relationship has bumps. It has things that need to be negotiated and navigated.

There is so much to adore in this card. The children at play. The loving parents watching. And it looks as if those parents are discussing expanding something to me. That’s the energy of the 10 of Cups here. Expanding happiness. Letting it spill out and grow.

So my challenge to you today is to take three minutes to examine your current happies. Where can you expand them? Where can you allow them to spill out so they can grow even more?

Three minutes is only 180 seconds. Can you commit to that? Let me know in the comments (and let me know where you are expanding!) I love hearing from you.

For me, the first thing that comes to mind is my tangling work. I know it makes me happy. And, grin, I know where I want to expand it. We shall see if that works.

The more I look at this deck, the more I love it. Just so much to see in each card. Lovely.

Seek joy, y’all. Expand your happiness. Pass it on.

10 of Cups, The Healing Tarot, Schiffer Books, 2013 [AFF]

Can Spills Make You Happy?

I love this card. Each one has a symbol starting with the four elements on the bottom row. Water flows down to fill the top one. That fills up and spills out to fill up the next and so on with the last row spilling out to return to the source.

Today’s card reminds me of how fortunate I am to be able to draw breath. Even in the hard times, knowing I’m alive and breathing is a plus. I’m still a bit sad about D’s death on Friday, but the family attitude has been one of peace. That’s very helpful. I’ll see nearly all of them next week at the service. I am looking forward to that.

Here we have the Ten of Cups from Robert M. Place’s Sevenfold Mystery Tarot. This was a Kickstarter project that I supported. I do love having the finished product in my hand. Can’t wait to see the Stolen Child Tarot. Have you reserved your copy? It’s only $24 and if we don’t get enough folks, it just won’t happen. Don’t make the Arwen sad. Go pledge today! Only 11 days left so we need to push this.

Speaking of pledges, I pledged to have my Fairy Tale Tarot Spreads eBook out before my birthday. I’ve done it! It’s here. It’s available. Read this month’s newsletter to find out how to order your copy. It’s an ebook/pdf file. You can print it if you prefer paper in hand. 😀

Pssst, I also announced who won the 1 hour reading with me on that link.

This card, for me (without having looked at the meanings at all) says that we are all connected to the Source. That we have the ability to not only be filled up but to fill others up. That connection is important.

Do you know that you fill me with joy? That every comment, every sharing, every one of you brings me such amazing joy? Thank you. The joy you bring me allows me to fill up and spill over back to you. We are connected. That connection sustains me.

For your 180 seconds today, think about who makes you happy and you make happy. Don’t dwell on those who don’t get it. They will. Today’s three minutes is simply for who you make happy and who makes you happy.

I do hope you will consider buying a copy of my Fairy Tale Tarot Spreads eBook, darlings. Did I mention it’s 30 pages and it’s illustrated by Lisa Hunt?

If you got the book during my (AFF), remind me via email. I’ll get you your copy of the illustrated version.

10 of Cups, Sevenfold Mystery Tarot, Robert M. Place

Seek Joy, Y’all! Pass it on.

Balance, Fire & Saying No

Join me this Sunday.

Today’s card has an unpleasant scene. The entire forest is on fire. Flames are taking over. It’s an unusual interpretation of the 10 of Wands to be sure.

But fire is not completely destructive just as water is not always kind. Balance is a key ingredient in nature. I think it should be the same in our lives.

Traditionally, the 10 of Wands shows someone overburdened and most likely dropping things. But, and you knew there was a but, right? But! How did he or she become overburden? Who told them to try to do it all? What switch got flipped that made them need to play superman/woman/mom/dad/business owner to the world?

I’m here to bet that it was not an outside force.

Our society has been in an “I Can Do It” mode for a long time. It seems to have snowballed. I doubt Rosie the Riveter could have made tanks and planes as well if she was also baking cookies, visiting the elderly, watching soccer/ballet/the dog AND cooking a three course meal for the boss and his wife.

When a forest catches on fire, often it is a natural occurrence (I’ll edit out my opinion of arsonists). And if the forest has a lot of undergrowth, that gets burned out first and fast.

Yes, fire is destructive. But what is left after a burnout is clear ground.

New growth happens.

When you are in the middle of what feels like a personal firestorm, hang on to this thought by Viktor Frankl who went through one of our world’s worst human events–the Holocaust. He said, “What is to give light must endure burning.”

You, like the forest, like Frankl, like everyone before you and after you, will survive. You will get things done. You will learn this incredible skill called delegation. You will also learn the busy person’s most useful phrase.

“Thank you for thinking of me but I cannot take on another project at this time.”

Learn to say no gracefully. Allow yourself space to just be. Space. It’s what’s for dinner.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

10 of Fire, Gaian Tarot, Llewellyn 2011

Thorns, Ownership & Release

Today’s card is not a card. It’s something I found while walking the dogs. A tree came down in my complex. No one knows why. It looks like a giant came by and just ripped this thing down in two yanks. But I wanted a piece of it because I thought it was cool looking.

How often have you done something, said something, grabbed something, joined something because it seemed like a good thing? Then, when you did the research you should have done, you found out otherwise?

This is a branch from the Honey Locust tree. That’s a bit of air fern that you see clumped up on it. But what you really need to pay attention to are the thorns. Those are about 3-4″ long. Three to four INCHES, y’all.

I learned that if the thorn breaks the skin, it can cause a nasty infection.

Well how about that. I picked something up. Brought it into my home. Intentionally.

Why would an intelligent woman grab a stick covered in thorns? Why would an intelligent human being choose to be friends withs someone who is covered in thorns?

For me, this stick represents the Ten of Swords. When we are a victim of a crime or someone else’s mental illness or inability to participate as a community person, that’s a bad thing.

We can’t prevent being victims of crime completely. But we can prevent allowing someone to be the Honey Locust branch we brought into our own home.

Who’s the Honey Locust branch in your world? Are you ready to put some gloves on to carry them outside? Will you let others know that the Honey Locust could be more than an inconvenience? Are you strong enough to let go of that Honey Locust branch?

Remember, it isn’t up to you to clear the tree (that’s the landscapers job), but it is up to you to NOT bring the dangerous things into your world.

Want to see how to get rid of your own thorny branches? Contact me today for a reading.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Branch of a Honey Locust tree with air fern, August 6, 2012

Victims, Professionals & the 10 of Swords

How the 10 of Swords nearly won…

”Stress, it is a killer, sir.” Or so says Bartok. Points for getting that reference before hitting Google. To say I’ve been under stress lately is an understatement. Let’s take it from the top, shall we? Continue reading “Victims, Professionals & the 10 of Swords”

Tarot&Food: 10 of Wands Arwen’s BRC Casserole

I love broccoli. I also love cheese. Rice is a staple in my home. Put those three together? HEAVEN! I often take a casserole to potlucks. This is one of my staples. I’ve associated it with the *insert evil music here* …