Tag: Pentacles

Frowns, Situations & Health

And I’m here to tell you that it works. It WORKS, y’all. I had a goal. I knew what steps I needed to take towards it. I took the first step and BOOM, that goal is now ticked off on my list.

Whimsical_11PentaclesToday’s card reminds me that business must be attended to. This time of year finds many of us doing the day-to-day of gathering receipts, checking last year’s revenues, preparing for our taxes. When I drew this card from the adorable Whimsical Tarot (Dorothy Morrison and Mary Hanson-Roberts), I frowned.

Yes, frowned. I mean who wants to talk about business like this? Counting. Stacking. Evaluating.

But the Page of Pentacles knows that if you don’t do this, things pile up. Things get out of hand. He, or she, is the slow, steady type. The one you can depend on. That part of ourselves that does what has to be done.

I’m in a situation like that now. Not about money, but about another area that this suit rules. That’s physical health. I have a toothache.

No. That’s not exactly right.

I HAVE A FREAKING PAIN IN MY MOUTH THAT IS TAKING OVER MY LIFE.

Yeah, that’s more like it. I left work yesterday to go to an emergency dental appointment. I left that appointment with words I didn’t want to hear. Extraction. Times four.

Sigh. I have bad teeth and don’t take care of them on a good day. My confession for 2013. 😀 I am going to lose teeth because of this. My Page of Pentacles self is shaking a finger at me reminding me of what I should have done.

Should’ve.
Would’ve.
Could’ve.

The dentist tells me that my diabetes probably contributed to this. I’m working on forgiving myself today. I mean I can’t dial back 30 years and fix this. 😀 So I can either beat myself up for it OR I can address it and move forward.

Slow and steady. This is also addressed in that I’m in love with. 2013Calendar

WHAT? You didn’t think I wouldn’t mention that, did you? 😀 The business version is rocking my world. It focuses on the steps to take to be successful. It isn’t all “pie in the sky” telling you all you have to do is use affirmations.

Nope. This is about dreams + plans of action + actionable steps + check lists + to-do books.

And I’m here to tell you that it works. It WORKS, y’all. I had a goal. I knew what steps I needed to take towards it. I took the first step and BOOM, that goal is now ticked off on my list.

CHECKED!
DONE!
FINITO!
In the bag, baby.

So I want you to get this You can get either version for $9.95 or both for $14.95. I have both. I’m finding both invaluable for different reasons.

Because I want you to get this, I’m sweetening the pot with a free eBook. This is the eBook that is currently being illustrated by….no, not yet. I can’t tell you yet. I want to tease a bit more! But you will get the unillustrated version AND the illustrated version once it’s ready. Free. Because I love you and want you to have this magical . That’s right. Love. You.

So what will it take for you to join me on this quest to make 2013 an incredible year? to get this party started.

Page of Pentacles, Whimsical Tarot, US Games, 2000

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

P. to the S. My tooth hurts less after making this confession. Maybe that energy needed to be released, eh?

Sparks, Exhaustion & Goals

MaryEl_7DisksToday’s card reminds me what happens when things get lit up. When you put so much energy into something, it can go one of two ways. You are exhausted. OR. You are energized. Everything seems pale and out-of-focus. OR. Everything seems to gain speed snowballing into a juggernaut of intention.

Here is the Seven of Disks from the Mary-El Tarot (Marie L. White, Schiffer Books, 2012). Raw energy at the bottom propels seven disks upward. They send light to the sun above or the sun above sends to them. Hard to say. What I do know is that the color of the flames is telling.

The hotter the flame the paler the color. White-hot heat shimmers in the blue flames sending the disks shooting upward. This card gets me hot. 😀

Sorry. This card excites me.

No, no…that’s still sexual.

Oh what the heck! This is about passion. This is about urges. This is about wanting to sink your teeth into something and not let go.

What has you by the throat right now? What are you so excited about that you shimmer just thinking about it? What sparks you? What galvanizes you?

Y’all know what it is for me, right? This darned workbook+planner that I cannot stop talking about. Yes, I’m an affiliate so I make money from sales. No, I wouldn’t be so over-the-top thrilled with this if it wasn’t truly making a difference in my life. That’s not how I roll. Authenticity isn’t an easy lifestyle, but it’s the only one for me.

I mentioned yesterday about a goal already being hit, right? I wouldn’t have even thought about that without the amazing releasing ceremony.

I know right? How did a releasing ceremony push me into goals for 2013? Weird but true.

That goal was to get a fabulous illustrator for my Fairy Tales Tarot Spreads eBook. You can get the non-illustrated for free by purchasing this workbook+planner via . Then when the illustrated version is released for sale, you can get it for free too. What’s not to love?

Get sparking, y’all.

Seven of Disks, The Mary-el Tarot, Schiffer Books 2012

Seek Joy, Y’all. Pass it on!

Beliefs, Ceremonies & Secrets

One of the questions in this closing ceremony was “What dreams came true during 2012?” I came up with four of them right off the bat. The first and second were the most important to me. They were the two that really were the biggest.

Today’s card reminds me to believe in myself. When I listen to what old me says I can’t do, new me gets shut down. That’s no fun! The 8 of Coins is the card of the craftsman. I see it as the cycle of apprentice/journeyman/master. We are all at some point on that scale. Often it depends on what it is we are doing. For instance, I consider myself to be a master at the craft of Tarot reading but an apprentice when it comes to Astrology. It’s all good too. As long as I’m still learning, I’m succeeding. This is a fun representation of this mix of learner and learned in the Fantastic Menagerie’s Eight of Pentacles. Musicians are another form of artist who have an almost continuous learning curve.

My learning curve this past year is not something I really paid that much attention to until I got this planner for next year. If you’ve been paying attention, you know where I’m heading with this post. I’m going to go on and on about the some more, y’all. There’s so much here. I’m not even a quarter of the way through but already, I’ve had an epiphany. I’ll tell you about that epiphany on Wednesday.

The planner begins with an exercise that states as the very first line:

Here’s the place where we muck it up.

My first reaction? “Well that’s just not very nice, Leonie!” But, I’ve been a member of her site since June so I thought I might want to read on for one more sentence or so. Then I saw phrases like “taking stock” and “celebration + release” and “closing ceremony.” My fears were assuaged.

One of the questions in this closing ceremony was “What dreams came true during 2012?” I came up with four of them right off the bat. The first and second were the most important to me. They were the two that really were the biggest.

1. I created art.
2. I changed people’s lives.

Now those may seem fairly disparate or maybe even super out of balance in terms of importance. I suppose I could have lied to y’all and said that the second was the first and the first was the second, but well, that’s not true. That first one is a doozy for me.

I’ve shared some of my Zentangles here and there. The responses I’ve gotten have fed my soul in a myriad of ways. I get a bit choked up when I try to verbalize those ways. Art is one of those things I always thought wasn’t in the cards for me. I figured I was good to be able to write poetry and stories. My writing partner is an artist. She’s so talented that sometimes I felt a wee bit jealous of her.

Then two things happened. One was the Leonie Dawson Creative Goddess course. The other was Joanna Powell Colbert’s seasonal practice (I took the Lammas one). Both are online courses. Neither forces you to a strict “do it or you suck” time table. Both had these amazingly supportive souls on the same journey with me. Many of them were already visual artists. I was so intimidated when I saw their first pages of THEIR art journals. Mine looked like something a child (a really untalented one) might do. Goddess. It was excruciating to share my pages. But I did.

Then while I was doing that, I heard about, stumbled over, ran across Zentangle. And boom. I took a class (had to set multiple reminders on my phone that basically said “You paid $35 for this. Don’t back out.” And other *ahem* self-motivational admonishments. When that Sunday came, I was still looking for a way out including a mild wish to be hit by a bus. What was I thinking? Me? Doing art. HA to the HELL NO.

But I did. And I did. I mean…I did! I created things that were pretty. I showed my best friend who immediately dove in as well. She’s doing them as well. Zentangles, for me, have been a way to quiet my mind which helps my creativity.

Then there’s that second piece. That big, ballsy phrase about me changing people’s lives. I hesitated before I put that one down. It’s not one of those throwaway statements. But I’m going to talk more about that tomorrow.

Want to join me on this planner journey I’m on? I have a Facebook group (it’s seeeekrit). Let me know you’ve . I’ll give you the Seeeekrit code and, if you join by midnight yesterday, you’ll get the Seeeekrit Decoder Ring and the Super Seeeekrit Ranger Necktie too. (grin).

Seek Joy, Y’all! Pass it on.

8 of Coins, Fantastical Menagerie Tarot, The Magic Realist Press

Hoops, Gratitudes & Magnets

Y’all, the two things that have literally saved me from being a crazy, neurotic, needs-to-be-saved woman are as follows:

Today’s card reminds me of something my therapist asked me today. Yes, I see a therapist regularly. I find it really helps to have her insight into my life. I’ve seen her for 3 or 4 years now. Highly recommend her as well if you are in Austin. 😀

Any who! I digress. She asked me what I was grateful for this year. I had to laugh when I said:

The stress at my job because I learned how to navigate it.

My relationship with all of its bumps and bounces along the way because it taught me what to value.

My family because I’ve learned what is really important.

And so many other things that might have taken me under just a few years ago.

Y’all, the two things that have literally saved me from being a crazy, neurotic, needs-to-be-saved woman are as follows:

1. I can only control what is in my hula hoop.

2. Seek joy, y’all.

Those two life philosophies turned me around. I’ve learned how to gently release negative people. I’ve become a joy magnet attracting other like-minded folk. I’ve made a difference in my own life. Others have told me I’ve made a difference in theirs as well. That makes me cry. Joyfully.

The 7 of Pentacles is traditionally a card of the gardener. We see someone in a garden or field usually at rest. They are reflecting on the work it took to get them to where they are now.

Take some time. Reflect on your year. What are you grateful for? It doesn’t have to be like mine. This is about you. I would love to know what your gratitudes are.

And as a side note, if you have gotten a copy of , let me know. I’ll add you to the private Facebook group. If you want to be added that is. Let me know. 😀 Don’t know what that is? See my post about it here.

So gratitude. What does it look like to you for 2012?

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on!

7 of Pentacles, Archeon Tarot Deck, U.S. Games 2005

Psst, I want to do a shout out for Amethyst Mahoney’s Limitless Abundance Breakthrough Session. Have you heard about it?

Balance, Care & Success

Then I read the balloon to the right and it mentioned “self-care”. OH! This wasn’t about shaking Michelle Obama’s hand for saying “Seek Joy, Y’all” to the world. It wasn’t about hugging Oprah as she touted my book. It was about …

Today’s card is a reminder of balance and choices. The Two of Pentacles is one of those cards that always makes me wonder if I am balancing my personal life and my professional. And this is a gorgeous rendition of this card.

It’s from the Faerie Tarot by Nathalie Hertz (US Games 2008). Sadly it is out of print but you can still find it if you look.

One thing to note about this card is the hourglass. Do you see it? Try to focus on the entire picture rather than just the central image. There now. Do you have it?

“Like sand through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.”

I heard that a lot growing up. I wasn’t a “Days Of OUr Lives” watcher (ABC girl here), but an important person in my life was.

If these are, in fact, the days of your life…the only days you are given in this free trip around the Universe, are you doing everything you can to balance things?

It’s lovely to be successful in business.
It’s lovely to be successful in love.

But what about being successful in both? Oh, we’ve all heard the stories about the business person who gave their all to the job only to lose everyone they loved. Scrooge, anyone?

But this lovely girl is using a wheelbarrow. She’s making it work in a field of wheat.

We can too. We can have it all. I think, for me, the all is what is important. What is “all” to me?

You know I’m working through a great workbook. I’m at a point where I am to list 100 goals for 2013. My pen has hovered over the page for two days now. What 100 things would I want to accomplish?

Then I read the balloon to the right and it mentioned “self-care”. OH! This wasn’t about shaking Michelle Obama’s hand for saying “Seek Joy, Y’all” to the world. It wasn’t about hugging Oprah as she touted my book. It was about me.

My pen fell on the paper and before I could stop it, I had “drink three pots of tea with Leah” and “have dinner with Ashton more” and “get a minimum of 6 hours worth of naps a month.”

Self-care.

What will you do today to care for you?

By the way? That workbook? I gave away two to newsletter readers yesterday. Silly me didn’t realize I had bought three.

SO! Leave a comment here for a chance to win. If you share this, that’s a second chance but you have to comment first. If you share, leave a comment that you did.

I’ll announce winners on Friday. I’m running this on my Facebook page as well and yes, you can enter both places.

2 of Pentacles, Faerie Tarot, USGames 2008

Seek joy, y’all! Pass it on!

Wealth, Connections & Secrets

How much joy can one life generate? This Ace of Pentacles reminds me that each piece is connected to the other until they circle back to form a perfect hula hoop for me to dance within.

Today’s card is a reminder to me of how connected things are in my life. I do a JoyPatrolAlert in the late afternoon/early evening. I did today’s BEFORE looking at the card I drew from the Pearls Of Wisdom Tarot. I laughed. Check back this evening and let me know if you can figure out why I laughed.

Here we see the Ace of Pentacles embodied by a beautiful priestess. She holds the coin high over her head. It’s decorated by a Celtic knotwork. The sides of the card form a doorway. Everything that could make her a wealthy woman is before her. Keys to the business. Jewelry. Even a musical instrument should she just want to play a happy tune.

This is my reminder that the sleeping cats on my table (yes,I know) are connected to the dogs piled up under the blanket on the couch. The sweet smell of baked yams connects me to my memories of so many holiday gatherings that my mind boggles. I am 51 years old. If I have been to just the big holidays with family and/or friends, I’ve still celebrated over 150 times.

That’s a lot of joy. And I’m not counting birthdays or weddings or any other rites of passage where I’ve gathered with those I love.

How much joy can one life generate? This Ace of Pentacles reminds me that each piece is connected to the other until they circle back to form a perfect hula hoop for me to dance within.

Do you follow? As she passes through the door, those ribbons of light and color stream behind her. She is the embodiment of the suit of Earth–community, family, friends. Wealth isn’t just the things around the doorway. Wealth is her and who she attracts to her.

Y’all make me the wealthiest woman in the world. Thank you for sharing this with me.

Remind yourself, when you feel disconnected or alone, that you aren’t. We are here for one another. That’s one of the secrets of the Universe.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Ace of Pentacles, Pearls of Wisdom Tarot Deck (Cards),7th House, 2008

Ghosts, Community & Pimps

Today’s card reminds me that community must be built, yes, but it must also be maintained. We all have responsibility to one another. We really are a global village. If you fall down, I will help you up. If I fall down, I will hold out my hand for your aid.

It’s what community does. A vibrant, growing community supports one another. I’m blessed to be a member of the professional Tarot community. Part of my goal as the president of the American Tarot Association is to promote this community. Sadly, not all are capable of being productive members.

But this is about those who are. Here we have the Three of Pentacles which comes from the amazing Ghosts & Spirits Tarot by Lisa Hunt. I can’t recommend this deck highly enough. It’s more of the same from Lisa Hunt. You know…gorgeous, lyrical, moving. I swear. Can that woman do anything else? I’ve never seen anything come out of her that is anything less than stunning.

But I digress! Look at these spirits. They are representatives of the Roman pantheon’s Manes who were guardians/ghosts of tombs. Even when you die, your community remembers you and supports you.

Each disk, to me, represents the work the spirit honors. They are slightly playful to me which seems to say that they have learned how to balance work with play.

Let’s honor community today. Who has taught you how to be a better person? A better business owner? A better parent? How do you honor your community members today? Feel free to leave a note for someone else below. You can pimp them out (but not yourself, grin.) Make this about raising up someone else.

My pimp is going to the creatrix of this deck. I know Lisa only through Facebook and her work. She and her husband designed my alter ego, Marilu Mann, logo. Working with Kort and Lisa was one of the smartest moves I ever made. They made it super easy to get exactly what my writing partner and I wanted.

Your turn!

Seek joy, y’all! Pass it on.

3 of Pentacles, Ghosts & Spirits Tarot, US Games, 2012

Seriously, you need this deck! 😀

Maybe, Doodles & Push

Today’s card is from a potential deck. It might be coming. It might be happening. And this is the card of potential since it would be the Ace of Pentacles.

What potentials are on your list today? What maybe’s loom in the back of your head? What could happen if you just gave it a push?

This is what this card represents to me. The many shapes that all come together to present layers of “what if” are powerful reminders that all any of us need to do is focus.

Of course, that also means we may have to let other potentials lie fallow for a bit. Hard choice, right?

Tell me about your maybes and what if’s. What would you like to bring into fruition? What would you like to harvest?

Ace of Pentacles, Doodle Tarot, Stephanie Arwen Lynch

Kerfuffles, Llamas & Calm

I’ve adopted a “drama is for llamas” attitude and tend to stay out of political kerfuffles or at least backchannel as much as possible. In a way, this is questioning that. But is it questioning my strength of resolve or my choice…

I decided to do a reading on a current situation occurring in my life. It involves another human being trying to cause a kerfuffle with me. At this time, I’ve taken the Continue reading “Kerfuffles, Llamas & Calm”

Tarot&Food: Four of Coins Baked Beans

I’ve been struggling with which card to give to my baked beans recipe. It’s one that I make for large crowds. It’s also one that is one of my requested recipes because folks really like them. However, I couldn’t figure out which card was best represented for me by this one.

I’ve been struggling with which card to give to my baked beans recipe. It’s one that I make for large crowds. It’s also one that is one of my requested recipes because folks really like them. However, I couldn’t figure out which card was best represented for me by this one.

I mean do I give it to a King since all those beans are gonna cause gas? Do I give it to the suit of Water since it’s an emotional connection to my mother? Do I make it an Air card again because of the reason I would give it to a King? Or the Hermit?

Maybe I’m too focused on the Continue reading “Tarot&Food: Four of Coins Baked Beans”