It’s the Litha Tarot Blog Hop, Y’all!

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Our wrangler, Morgan, gave us the task of making a card. He suggested we use junk mail. Well, I didn’t follow the rules because I didn’t manage my time well. πŸ˜€ But I am going to use one of the variations.

Before diving into that, I’d like to invite you to check out a collaborative book I’m part of. Today is release day. It’s 365 Moments of Grace.

I use Zentangle as a meditative practice. I don’t set out with anything in mind when I tangle but the end results often remind me of a Tarot card. It’s an interesting exercise for me to “see” something in the artwork.

So what I want to do is offer a few of my tangle pieces here and have YOU tell me what you see. [inlinetweet prefix=”” tweeter=”TarotByArwen” suffix=”tarotbloghop”]What card comes to mind with these images for you?[/inlinetweet]

 

Zentangle Mandala
Zentangle Mandala by Arwen

Zentangle050Zendala4112013

Click to see large version

 

I also wrote an article for Witches And Pagans about how Zentangle made me a better psychic.

So what do these images bring to your mind? Once you’ve answered that question, it’s time to hop along to the next blog in this Tarot Blog Hop.

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Affirmations, Tangles & Curses

Zentangle Mandala
Zentangle Mandala by Arwen

#affirmation Today I celebrate who I am no matter where I am.

I did this Zentangle in 2012. It was part of a challenge on a blog (Bright Owl‘s if I remember correctly.) Today I decided I would use a picture I’d already used so I spent some time this morning looking through past pictures. Nearly made myself late for work, lol.

The thing that struck me about this picture this morning was that it looks like many heads all striking off in different directions. And I realized that no matter where I go, I will always be who I am.

That’s a gift and a curse, right? The curse is that I can’t change who I am fundamentally so I must accept all of me. The gift is that I can’t change who I am fundamentally so I must accept all of me.

I know, right?

The better me, my better life, my fulfilling my purpose? All of that is already inside of me. Been there all along. I just had to learn how to identify my seeds and eradicate my weeds–or repurpose my weeds.

[Tweet “Wherever I go, there I am. Someone said that already, I’m sure. But it’s a truth I wanted to share with you today.”]

Where you go, there you are. And I’ll be right there with you.

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Zentangle Mandala by Arwen Lynch (pattern by BrightOwl)

Here’s more about my passion for tangling.

Wild: An Ostara 2014 Tarot Blog Hop

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Our topic this time is creativity and what springs forth. Well, that’s my loose interpretation of our Blog Wrangler’s theme. Joanne Sprott charged all of the Tarot Blog hoppers to discuss creativity.

There is so much I could do on that subject. I’ve been drawing my tangles again. I am such a fan of the Zentangle method. It quiets my mind. I love being able to weave words into my tangles. I’m calling them Quotangles. πŸ˜€ Here is a recent one.

Zentangle by Arwen Lynch Poe, 2014That was done based on a poem I wrote while on retreat with the Goddess with the Gaian Soul, Joanna Powell Colbert. The time I spent with other women in quiet meditation, Tarot play and raucous belly laughter went a long way to regenerate my soul-me.

One of the things we did was play James Wells’ Tarot Circle game. We had four questions posed to us by Joanna. James has an amazing method. He’s also got a new book out! Tarot Circle Encounters: Fostering Community, Wisdom, and Wholeness Through Image, Conversation, and Natural Cycles is available as of 3/15/14. You should check it out.

But back to my creative endeavors. We also did Sacred Art. Using a plethora of materials that included, but not limited to, shells, beach glass, yarn, paper, repurposed jewelry, sticks, glitter, crystals and moss, I created two secret box projects. This is the mind baby of Lyn Belisle of EarthShards with some modifications by Joanna.

Y’all, I dove in. I didn’t want to stop. I had to because I didn’t know how I would get them all home. I have such plans though! I’ve already ordered more faces.

WildofWingThis piece is called She Who Is Wild Of Heart

Here’s a spread to help you find some more wildness in your own life.

Wild, Wild, Wild Moments Spread

1. How can I spread my wings more to be wild of wing?

2. What is one way I can open my heart more to be wild of heart?

3. How might I see more to be wild of eye?

4. What is the key meaning of being wild in this moment?

I hope that you will share your readings with me. I’ve left this one more open so that you can play with it. Don’t judge what you think I should mean. Instead let yourself be wild as you dive into your cards.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. I hope you have fun hopping along. I’m actually the last if you started at the beginning but somewhere in-between if you started else where. πŸ˜€

[Tweet “I’m traveling the Tarot Blog Hop today. Join me!”]

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on!

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Humor, Fear + Joy

I try. I fail. What piece of me still laughs when I see something bad happen like a kid running to dive into the water but they trip on the pier. I have to admit that…

Today’s card is from my ongoing Tangled Tarot project. As this came to life for me, I could already see the card it would be. With the swoops and swirls, it made me (and others) think of a ship.Zentangle050

Here is the Three of Wands–the quintessential card of wait and see. What you’ve sent out will return but you may not get what you expect. You will need to make sure you have sent out as much good as you expect back.

That’s not always easy in our negativity-driven world. Oh, don’t get me wrong, y’all. There are those who fight for a positive outlook. There are those who are careful not to share mean things–even funny mean things.

I try. I fail. What piece of me still laughs when I see something bad happen like a kid running to dive into the water but they trip on the pier. I have to admit that I’m hard on myself there. I force myself to think about the pain and the embarrassment. I make myself become that person.

Yeah, the whole mile in the moccasins thing.

I don’t think we will slide our pendulum from negativity-based thinking to positivity in day. Maybe not even in a year.

But I believe wholeheartedly that I can gather up a tribe of people who share that belief.

That there can be funny, humorous things that don’t involve mocking someone’s pain. That don’t involve shaming someone. That don’t use religious or racial slams to create a laugh. Here’s a test for you. Take a religious or racial joke. Remove the race and religion from it. Is it still funny? No? Then replace it with your race or your religion. Still not funny? What does that mean to you?

Politics? Yeah, about that…I have to work a lot harder there because I get angry. More than angry, I get scared. And then I lash out in fear.

[Tweet “No, it isn’t okay because others do it too. That’s actually one of the best reasons not to do it.”]

Their level and all that.

So from this Three of Wands energy, I will send out boatloads of positive thinking. I will share funny things that don’t put another person down or call them a name. I will channel my fear into joy. I will remain hopeful.

Your journal prompt today is “What is something I find funny that is actually hurtful? How can I change that?”

Three of Wands, Tangled Tarot, not published, Arwen Lynch

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

And if you are a writer, let plot, write and finish your book.

Crochet, Tangles + Frogs

I’m afraid I won’t be able to figure it out. That I won’t “get it” you know?

ArtJournalTangle1So this is a picture I’ve shared before. I’m sharing it again because it makes me happy. I haven’t tangled in a while…well I have but I haven’t scanned it. I keep seeing patterns I want to try so I will get back to it.

Right now crocheting a blanket is top on my list. I’ve almost completed all the squares. Next I have to tackle the border. Never done that, you see. I have another group of squares that I could join to make a nice size lap blanket.

I haven’t.

Know why?

Fear.

I’m afraid not that I’ll screw it up. It’s crochet. I can rip-it with the best of the froggers.

[Tweet “I’m afraid I won’t be able to figure it out. That I won’t “get it” you know?”]

Like some of the people I work with who are afraid to seek joy because they think they will fail at it…that they are incapable of learning how to seek joy.

So, because I challenge them and you to seek joy every day, I’m going to challenge myself to learn how to do this border. I know I can. I WILL that I can.

So there.

Your journal prompt for the day is, “What do I need to just do despite my fears of inadequacy?”

Zentangle, Arwen Lynch, 2013

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

What Does Perfect Mean?

Zendala4192013Today’s card is a Zentangle from April. My Zentangle anniversary just passed so I wanted to celebrate it a bit. For those of you who are familiar with my addiction, thank you for sticking around. πŸ˜€

I haven’t looked at this one in a while. Now I see it in a different light. I love the trapped look of the wavy things under the pointy things on the left. And the trippy tunnel effect on the top right? πŸ˜€ Yeah,it makes me grin.

What I really like is how the thing has depth. That’s the hardest for me….depth in these. I just play around with them a lot. Sometimes it works. Parts of this one work for me.

I find Zentangles work on my perfectionist button very well. I have to step away from “I can’t do it because it won’t be right. I have to let that go. It’s good to let that go.

Humans aren’t perfect. Many aboriginal people have practices that include intentional mistakes. Did you know that? It’s because Deity is the only perfection in the world. To be perfect is to insult God in some cultures.

How fabulous is that for an excuse?

“I’m sorry but I had to screw that up or it would insult God.”

I think I’m going to leave it at that.

Yep, that’s your journal prompt for today.

“What is the meaning of not perfect in your world?”

Zentangle, Stephanie Arwen Lynch, 4/2013

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on.

Practice Gets You What?

Zendala4112013Today’s card isn’t a card. It’s a tangle that I did. I may have shared it before. The beauty of a disorganized mind is that I don’t remember in a linear way.

I can look at this tangle (done in April) and think, “Oh, I remember seeing that tangle and wanting to learn it.” Then just doing it. There are those who practice their tangles before committing them to the good stuff. Not me. If I practice, it’s because I like the way it looks and just want to do it over and over again. πŸ˜€

I haven’t been tangling as much lately. A lot of it is done during free time at work–there hasn’t been much of that lately. And that’s a good thing if you are a joy seeker. You just say, “Yay! It makes the day go by faster.”

If I were going to assign this to a Tarot card, I might choose the Ace of Wands. That’s because of the central piece, but also because of the growth and growth potential that I see here.

What do you think this card might be if it were a Tarot card? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

You may not have heard but I’ve joined the bloggers at PaganSquare as one of the SageWoman bloggers. Yesterday I shared a new spread. If you like it, leave me a comment on that blog so I know you were there. I’d really appreciate that.

Here’s a snippet from that blog:

…I think first we have to know what we see to be able to understand what we don’t. One person might see themselves as an amazing, critical voice who helps others make choices. But he might not see his own block of ego that won’t allow him to hear others when they are critical of him. Still another might see themselves as the most positive person in the world. Yet she can’t see her own denial of the very real negative things in her life as a block…Read it all here.

So don’t forget that you are an awesome human being. If you ever lose sight of that, go look yourself in the eye in the mirror and remind you of that.

Zentangle, Arwen Lynch, 4/11/2013

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on!

Will I Fall or Fly?

Click for larger
Click for larger

Today’s card is not a Tarot card. It’s a Zentangle. It might be a Quotangle, but since it is only one word–not so much. I had a great deal of fun doing it. I started with this video from Suzanne McNeill.

The hardest thing for me was starting. I was scared I would mess it up. I thought I might do it wrong. I had to stop and wrap my mind around the idea that there is no right or wrong in Zentangle. It’s one line at a time. Just focusing on that is the point of the art. What comes out of that focus? Well, that’s a beautiful by-product of relaxing my mind.

I did start, obviously. I also finished. This would be correctly called Zentangle Inspired Art since it uses a recognizable shape.

Fly.

One simple word that goes hand in wing with a bird, yes?

But go back to my hesitancy in starting. Consider this. If I’d never taken that first stroke, the bird would have never had wings.

What in your life are you hesitating over? What has you parked on the edge of your safety zone, your nest if you will, peering over the edge? What has you torn between the terror of making mistakes and the joy of doing something that calls to your heart?

Fly, darlin’, fly.

If you want to tangle with me, bring it. πŸ˜€ You can learn more here. All you need are:

  1. Some pens (these are the ones I use)
  2. Charcoal pencils, a blender thingy and a sharpener
  3. A book like Design Originals Zentangle Basics
  4. Some tiles
  5. And/Or a small sketch pad (this is the one I use)

Zentangle Bird, Arwen Lynch, 2013

#seekjoy, y’all. Pass it on.

Mommy Koans

quotangle_louiseunderhill1So today’s card is a Quotangle. πŸ˜€ That’s what I’m calling them. So often I read something where a phrase just catches me and won’t let go. I love sharing those quotes with you. Folks from my office are used to seeing my cube literally plastered with white note cards with hand-written quotes on them. πŸ˜€

During our recent Litha 2013 Tarot Blog Hop, I read a fun post about fun from a fabulous Tarot consultant who is also a mommy. She said that being playful and having fun with three kids was “not always easy nor is it hard.”

As someone else mentioned, what a Zen thing to say. It’s like a Mommy Koan! You can read her full blog here.

And leave her a comment so she knows you stopped by!

Enjoy this Quotangle today. I’ll let you see what you see it it. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the quote and then tangle too if you like.

Want to learn more about the art of Zentangle? It’s a meditative doodling style. There’s a lot out there that’s not quite Zentangle but is styled Zentangle. Technically, my Quotangles are not because they have words that stop you from just letting go in the process of creating. πŸ˜€

What stops you in your process of creating? What frees you?

Seek joy, y’all. Pass it on!

Quotangle, Arwen Lynch (art) Louise Underhill (words), 2013

What’s So Special About Now?

Zentangle002
Click to see full size

So during yesterday’s blog hop, someone asked me to post a Zentangle piece. Like that’s a hardship. I love doing them. I love sharing them. I love hearing what you see in them.

I’ve gotten on a kick of doing phrases. This one seemed important to me when it popped into my brain. Don’t know where I’ve seen it but it’s such a simple statement that I can’t be the first to say it.

“Make now special.”

Not be aware of this moment.

Make it special.

How do we go about that? For me, it means that I am not going to waste any more time worrying about what if’s. Like Vernice “Fly Girl” Armour says, I’m going to change that to “why not.”

So what do you do to make things special for you? Is it a perfect cup of tea? Is it a 20 minute nap? Is it secretly smiling to yourself when you know you just need that boost?

How do you make now special, darling? That’s your challenge today. Take 180 seconds and focus on that concept. Don’t fall into the trap of judging your special, either. Yes, I heard you go there. Special is as special does.

Seek joy, y’all! Pass it on.

Zentangle, Stephanie Arwen Lynch, June 21, 2013