I wanted to share this post this morning because it truly is beautiful. I think that the message behind this is so important. We all have difficult moments in our lives, and sometimes difficult periods that can span for years, and it is often challenging to keep our chins up. But this post in a blog that I absolutely adore, Cauldrons and Cupcakes, hits the nail on the head.
I have a higher message for you at the bottom of this post, drawing from my oracle decks. But first, I wanted to provide a little personal story which may or may not be helpful to you. If it isn’t for you, you can skip to the bottom here.
A Personal Note on Experience
Over the last few years I’ve gone through my own challenges that I never thought I would. I thought I’d experienced depression when I was younger, and not to say that I didn’t, but over the last few years has been a whole different ballgame. Likewise with anxiety. This year I hit my peak, or my bottom, however you want to look at it, and I knew that something had to change.
While I approached my doctor about this (which is a whole differnt story in itself), I also knew that I had to make some changes in my mentality, and commit to trying to change for the better. I waited for nearly a year to get the help I needed through the proper medical channels, and in the meantime, I worked on myself. I made the effort to see positive things–for example, clovers, as I’ve mentioned before. Once I saw clovers, and how damn many there were, I noticed how many butterflies there were, and bees. I noticed rabbit tracks, and I began being able to actually hear the hum of insects going about their day while I walked the dogs.
I made the dedication to say a positive affirmation every day, even if I didn’t believe it that day, and I made the effort to say at least three things I was grateful for before I went to sleep at night. And gradually, oh so gradually, things began to get better. Better enough that I survived the wait for professional attention, and eventually got to the point where I felt that I didn’t need said attention (though I did absolutely take it, I’m not going to turn down help!)
Focusing on What I Love
Deciding to start this blog was a massive help as well. It allowed me to focus on what I truly enjoy, writing and tarot. Being able to write about writing, write about tarot, and just write really helped me stay focused on the positive, even when I drained myself and had to take a break, it was enough to keep me lighter.
By starting this job and deciding I needed to broaden my content, I was able to discover differnt books I might not have read. I don’t mean Tarot books, but some of the other books, such as The Universe Has Your Back and Rise Sister Rise. Both of these books, while I wasn’t sure how much I bought into them at the time, led me on to other books such as Tolle’s New Earth and Light is the New Black, and finally onto May Cause Miracles. All of these books worked together to shift my perspective and daily practices into something truly positive, bright and beautiful.
My life has drastically changed by applying spiritual principles found in these books, by going to my doctor, and by taking small, active steps to make small, daily and weekly changes in my life toward something of better quality.
I followed what made me happy, what brought m joy, and now I feel I am doing joyful things. My day job is not my favorite, but I love my coworkers and I love the customers. My living location is not my favorite, but I love seeing the betries on the hawethorn outside my window and all the clover in the fields, the badger track that splits the field in two, the fox I catch glimpses of from time to time, and I love that I can tell the difference between a hare and a rabbit at a distance. My living situation and job situation haven’t changed, but I can see the positives in both things enough to make my actual life better.
Of course, I am by no means saying that these methods worked for me, therefore they should work across the board. What I am saying is that I found the small changes I could make that did work for me, and I used those to incrementally shift my perception and my quality of life.
Higher Message for You
While I was writing this post, I asked my two oracle decks what message I could bring to help you through your difficult time.
From the Ancient Feminine Wisdom of Goddesses and Heroines, I drew Penthesileia, and from Work Your Light, I drew two cards, Lemuria and Star Mother.
Lemuria and Star Mother
Lemuria reminds us that we are the creators of our Heaven on Earth, that through our own perceptions we can create a better reality. While those of us who are struggling might not be in a financial, physical, or practical positions to make the drastic changes to make our lives better (paying off large debt in one lump, moving to a better location, loose x amount of weight, get on y expensive medication, etc.), the one thing we do have control over is how we percieve the world.
Complimenting Lemuria, the Star Mother asks how it is that we can nurture and mother ourselves. Similar to the Empress, this card reminds us that we have to look after ourselves if we are to be able to care for others. We cannot give water from an empty well, and we all know that our water is our caring, our love, our intuition, and our creativity.
The combination of these two cards asks us what we can do to nurture ourselves to create a better reality? How can we look after our mental, physical, and/or emotional wellbeing to bring ourselves closer to contentment, emotional abundance, and gratitude? What are the things you can find yourself grateful for? What are the small things within your power that contribute to your happiness that you can indulge in? Is it getting icecream with your kids? Is it dancing in your kitchen to your favorite song? Is it treating yourself to a bouquet of flowers? Is it going to the batting cages and hitting a few balls? What is it that you can do to light you up, even if it’s only for a few minutes? What can you do to work toward creating your Heaven on Earth.
Penthesileia
Penthesileia was a queen of the legendary Amoazons, the women worriors of lore. They were the women who represented capability, strength, autonomy and earthly sensibilities.
her appearance is a reminder that you have the capabilities of balance, not in the same sense as Justice, though closer to Temperance. She is the like the coming together of Empress and Emperor, of masculine and feminine qualities to create a direct and forthright message of strength and inner knowledge. She represents the fight for what is yours, ‘a period of fighting for your rights and being a champion of the feminine in the world. The card supports your energetic spirit and fortifies your resolve in confrontations’ (Little White Book, p. 55).
Her presence is assurance that you can do what you need to do to make your world better, to shine your light brighter. You have it within you to make the small shifts in perception as indicated by Nicole of Caudlrons and Cupcakes, you just need to be direct.
Penthesileia aimed her arrow at Troy, and it was Troy who lost the battle against the Amazons. She is direct with her intention, and coupled with her strength, the directness is your message to you.
Set your intentions, make the goals, take the steps, however small they are, to get there. Know yourself, nurture yourself, create your Heaven on Earth, and fight to get there. You can do it.
Sometimes we need to honor and remember how to nurtur ourselves. Earlier in the year, in honor of Mothers Day, I created an Empress Spread to remind us all of our mothering capabilities, regardless of our roles in the world. Spend some time discovering your inner Empress. You can read more about the following spread here.
