Music, Boundaries and Petunias

Today’s card is a reminder that I create my own music.
[Tweet “By setting boundaries that work for me, my song has a place to be heard.”]

Paulina Tarot Ace of Pentacles
Paulina Tarot

Boundaries and borders can be scary things. We set them but then allow others to wander all over them–trampling our petunias as it were. I’m better these days about being firm about protecting what’s important to me. One of those things is my right to allow and or disallow those who bring disharmony into my world.

Every orchestra has discordance. It is what makes a song interesting. But no conductor will allow another conductor to change the way he or she conducts. It is, after all, their interpretation.

I’ve run headlong into an interpretation I do not agree with but I do like the conductor. So for now, I will play as part of that orchestra. When the song is done, I will quietly pack and leave.

This Ace of Pentacles from the amazing Paulina Tarot (U.S. Games) reminds me to focus on my own notes for now.

Today I play for me. Today I reset my personal boundaries. Today I want to be at peace with my own choices. I set fences to keep things in as well as out. I am the conductor of my own song. Loved and loving, I love each of you.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Ace of Pentacles, Paulina Tarot, U.S. Games 2009

#dailyaffirmation
#affirmations
#seekjoy

Radavie, Shadows + Magic

An older man–don’t remember his name–explained a bit of what he was going to do. In my head my skepticism was very high. Dive into an animal’s soul? Retrieve fractured bits? Heal the animal if possible?

Fool, Paulina Tarot
Paulina Tarot

Today’s card is a reminder to never lose hope in magic. That we should always be open to new and different things. The world is a complicated place. I don’t think we can know all there is to know, do you? And that’s part of the FUN of being alive.

In my years on this earth this time, I’ve learned that sometimes we lose pieces of ourselves. There are many ways to regain those pieces. One of those ways is a Shamanic process I know of as “shadow retrieval.”

I was once a part of a small circle where this was done–this shadow retrieval. It wasn’t done on a human. It was done for a cat. I had known the family for a few years. This cat was a foundling. She never, and I mean never, came out if there were strangers in her house. Even people like myself and my partner were not trusted. The only people she trusted were her two humans.

An older man–don’t remember his name–explained a bit of what he was going to do. In my head my skepticism was very high. Dive into an animal’s soul? Retrieve fractured bits? Heal the animal if possible?

WHAT?

Well, y’all, let me tell you. I suspended my disbelief and joined the circle. We drummed very softly as this man (he was just a little man and about 60 maybe?) went into a trance. It was 30 maybe 45 minutes later when he let us know we could stop.

As he told us what he’d seen of her early times, that cat came out. Hand to the Gods, that never-seen feline wander out. She rubbed up against her humans first, then each of us in the circle.

[Tweet “I was blown away. BLOWN. AWAY. It was magic, real and true.”]

Tonight, I am chatting with a facilitator of Shamanic Healing. Her name is Radavie. You can explore her Facebook page (and I hope you like that page as well.) You can also learn more about her at her website.

The show is You Never Know with Arwen and is tonight at 10pm Eastern time. Set your reminders now. You don’t want to miss this!

Fool, Paulina Tarot, U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

Who’s Telling The Truth?

Paulina_2SwordsToday’s card reminds me that there are two sides (at least) to every tale. In fact, I would propose that there are three. Mine, yours and the truth.

Now I’m not saying that you or I are lying. I’m not saying that at all. It’s more that we each bring our own truth to story telling. What I see and interpret is influenced, guided, filtered by my life experiences. Same for you.

I might see someone cut someone else off in traffic and think, “What a jerk. They are rude and have no manners.” You might see them and think, “Wow, they must be late for work.”

And the truth might be something completely different.

We are all influenced by everything that occurs in our life. Even our choice to avoid things that might influence, influences.

What I am saying is that we can’t ever be completely “clean” of life.

And that, I think, is a very good thing. That way we can bring our life events in to help us grapple with things large and small.

Back to the traffic incident. I could also stop, breathe, and then say, “Maybe they were unaware of how close that other car was. Maybe they have a sick child and are rushing to the hospital.”

I don’t HAVE TO go to the bad every time.

I don’t HAVE TO assume the worst.

Did you know that’s a documented human response? The assuming the worst?

It’s part of the “fight or flight” animal instinct in all of us. Scientists say that is why we look for the worst in a situation. It’s in order to keep ourselves safe.

I am challenging myself today to not assume the worst. Particularly after Monday, when my “they’re all jerks” is in high reactive mode, I must fight to get back to a more joyful outlook.

It ain’t easy, kids. It ain’t easy.

But I have faith that I can do it. Just like I have faith that I can continue toward my goal of 10k steps a day. I’m now averaging over 5k a day so that 10k isn’t that far away.

Neither is my joy-seeker outlook. I know I left it here somewhere.

I’ll go rummage around in my mental pockets. You do the same.

Let’s meet back here tomorrow to check in on how we did today.

Two of Swords, Paulina Tarot, USGames

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

P.S. Please check out this Kickstarter. It’s a cool glass artist who is a personal friend of mine. I’ve backed many Kickstarter projects. The more airtime they get, the better they do. I’d appreciate if you would share this link as well. What goes around comes around,darlings!

Yes, I’m going to mention this a lot in the next 25 days.
No, I don’t make a dime from this.
Yes, I know it may seem obnoxious but I’m trusting y’all to understand I do this for my love of my friend and my pride in his work. MUAH!