tarotlesbean-blog

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Lynn Skordal

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“Truth is not knowable - it is in the experience. This is best illustrated by someone tripping on LSD, who writes down what at the time is an extremely profound thought, only to discover, once sober, that it reads: ‘I am external!’ (and it’s spelt incorrectly!). This sentence is far from profound; however, the experience that prompted the centence certainly was.”

— Alan Chapman, Advanced Magick for Beginners

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“My brain is only a receiver, in the Universe there is a core from which we obtain knowledge, strength and inspiration. I have not penetrated into the secrets of this core, but I know that it exists.”

— Nikola Tesla

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Automatistic Sigilization

The sigilization technique described below is a variation of the procedure illustrated by Adam Blackthorne in The Master Works of Chaos Magick: Practical Techniques For Directing Your Reality. It is a method that I have used extensively with much success and I consider it to be one of the most intuitive, expedient, and versatile magico-psychical techniques available. It is primarily employed for operations of enchantment as demonstrated below, but may be adapted for divinatory purposes as well. The procedure is as follows:

Place the tip of a writing utensil on a piece of paper, mentally clarify your “statement of intent”, and vividly imagine the event you desire to occur from the first person perspective, arousing the feeling of satisfaction or excitement that you would experience following the actual fulfillment of that desire.

Once you have semi-lost yourself in the visualization, allow the writing utensil to move in a spontaneous, quick, and explosive manner. This automatically produced mark is the sigil.

Now, place the sigil in front of you and either [1] visually focus on it until you experience anoesis, or [2] visually focus on it while chanting a mantra until anoesis ensues.

Conclude the operation and take a few moments to clear your mind.

To later avoid ‘lust of result’ (which is theorized to undermine your intended manifestation), re-arouse the retrospective feeling of fulfillment each time you recall having performed the operation.

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Reflective Universe       The information of the entire universe is contained in each of its parts.    Every living entity, inanimate or animate, is ultimately connected to this hologram.    The whole is an emergent phenomenon of the parts. The quality of the whole is determined to a great extent by the nature of its components or constituents.    The parts or constituents reflect the nature of the universe, but the nature of the universe is also a reflection of us.

Ediho Lokanga, Digital Physics: The Physics of Information, Computation, Self-Organization and Consciousness (via johnsparker)

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today i set a theme for the month of may. i’ve been thinking about it for awhile and meditating and today i did a monthly tarot reading which turned out to be interesting. i used my quantum tarot cards which i’ve been very drawn to lately. i’ve done dozens of readings with these cards but never drawn the two extra cards of the deck, the phoenix and the universe--until now! 

i forgot where i got this spread from but i thought it would be useful for the coming month. may’s theme will be me and my personal development, especially when it comes to relationships (which i’ve found to be very dysfunctional in the past few years, resulting in me feeling anxious and withdrawing from everybody). 

so here’s the reading. (behind a cut because of length)

1. what answer is right in front of me? (top left)

the phoenix. what does this card represent to me? rising from the ashes, shedding your skin, starting anew, rebirth. the quantum tarot deck comes with two extra cards, one of which is the mythological phoenix, a bird that rises from the ashes of it’s predecessor. as i’m not used to this card, i had to do a little bit of reading and reflecting, but even before that the card conjured up an image of rebirth and starting anew in a beautiful, fiery way. don’t be afraid of new beginnings. don’t be afraid of the ugliness and discomfort that growth brings because the end result will be something breath-taking. according to wikipedia, the phoenix is associated with the sun and the sun just happens to be my favourite tarot card. i do feel a strong connection to that card but my personal interpretation is that the phoenix is a destructive force--and destruction is sometimes needed for growth--while the sun’s energy is more harmonious and life-sustaining. 

the phoenix reminds me of one of my favourite quotes:

“nature grows through breaking things down, through cracking things open, through opening up, spilling out, and then blossoming. growth can feel like a destructive process. that’s because it is. you have to crack open your old self for new aspects to bloom.” 

- emily maroutian

according to the booklet that came with the deck the phoenix represents “[recommencing] the journey through the major arcana with the all the innocence and openness of the fool, but this time round we carry the memory of everything we have already learned.” 

“what has been reborn in you?” it asks.

2. how do i cultivate hidden truths? (top centre)

the star (xvii). the universal consciousness, healing, meditation, spiritual awakening, creative inspiration, the chakra system.. such a beautiful card. i consider it a card of healing energies, basically. i personally find meditation to be extremely healing and balancing and i feel like the card is advising me to continue with that habit. the star is connected with universal energies, the pool which all things draw from, and i strongly feel that energy in nature, so i probably should spend more time in nature as well. i think should meditate and reflect on things that are healing to me to best utilise the star’s advise, and focus less on material reality because to me the star is about the higher mind (even though i find meditation to be extremely grounding.. or rather a practice that harmonises the material and the spiritual). 

3. what limiting belief must i release? (top right)

the universe. yet another extra card of the deck, marked with the infinity symbol <3 i had to acquaintance myself with this card too as it’s completely new to me but the booklet that came with the deck describes the universe as “a higher vibration of the world” and it “asks us to expand our awareness still further”.

“it requires a paradigm shift in our thinking, a realisation that the reality we perceive is but a tiny component of all that is.”

“can you exist in a world without limits?”, it asks.

i’m finding hard to find words to describe how i feel about this card in this position. it feels extremely powerful. like something that i cannot grasp quite yet, but it is obviously asking me to think about the existence of limits to begin with.

4. am i willing to change? (centre left)

ace of cups. aces--beginning of a journey, the first spark of potential that hasn’t materialised yet. cups--emotions, spirituality. the spirit, the subconscious mind. there’s definitely potential for (emotional and spiritual) change but i have to make use of that creative energy that flows from the spirit. change won’t happen on it’s own. i have to do the work myself and it’s up to me to take that first step.

5. what would i embrace if i allowed myself to? (centre right)

the world (xxi). the end of the journey, involution and evolution, the superconscious--the final stage of the cosmic consciousness. on a material level i’m interpreting this card as a sign that it is okay to let go and move on to new things. it’s okay to admit that it’s the end of this certain journey i’ve been on and to embrace endings and new beginnings. i moved back to my home town (of my teenage years and early twenties) four years ago because i missed back, i missed my friends, and i felt like i had unfinished business here. now, while i love it here and it feels very much like home and appreciate a lot things here, i do yearn for new experiences--whether that means new experiences physically (like moving to a new location or something along those lines) or mentally/spiritually remains to be seen. i can let go and embrace new things that come my way. however, i do feel like there is a spiritual aspect to this card as well.. but that is something that i should meditate on to gain better clarity. 

6. can i look at myself and see what the universe sees? (bottom left)

three of cups. threes--growth, creativity, abundance. cups--emotions, spirituality. friends, teamwork, socialising, synergy between like-minded people. hmm, this is an interesting card. i’ve been worrying a lot about being all alone in the world while everybody else is connecting with each other, becoming friends, dating, getting married and all that.. some of which is not my thing (like dating + marriage, though i’m not “opposed” to love of course, ..plus i really struggle with friendship) but i worry about being the only one of my kind (on several levels of being). while i’m not lonely, i do sometimes wish i had people i could talk to and connect with (on a deeper level, more spiritually, more intellectually). three of cups is a positive card so i guess the universe sees me in synergy with like-minded people even though i’m not seeing that right now?

7. what possibility exists that i can’t possibly imagine or comprehend at the moment? (bottom right)

the lovers (vi). powerful attraction, the cooperation between the conscious and the subconscious, harmony, duality. i guess this card is traditionally read as, well, lovers, but i always see it as powerful force of attraction of some sort. a card of manifesting. it also represents profound harmony between two parts. i have to meditate on this card but there’s clearly a theme in this whole reading--healing, rebirth, new beginnings--and i guess the lovers is telling me that harmony is possible, and that powerful attraction is doing it’s work--ask and it is given.

+ i also drew two extra cards, as i often do, one from the top of the deck, representing the conscious mind, and the one from the bottom of the deck, representing the subconscious. 

my conscious mind, represented by the devil (xv), seems to be well aware of the stuckness and the bondage that i feel i am in right now. the devil is an interesting card because it can represent physical bondage such as addiction or financial limitations, but often it refers to the mental prison created by your own mind which you then enact in the material world, making excuses for yourself and staying stuck in situations where you could walk away from if you just took the initiative. the devil tells you are stuck but that feeling is often self-imposed. 

the subconscious, represented by the moon (xviii).. the word that first comes to my mind when i draw this card is fear. fear is a useful emotion in an evolutionary sense, it is there to protect you. however, it can play tricks on you and even keep you from doing things that are good for you. the moon is also linked to dreams and visions, which may mean that your fears are unfounded, not based on reality. the moon represents the mysterious and the unknown but it reminds you not to be bound by your fear, though a healthy dose of it is probably good for you.

the past few months i’ve been feeling like i’m stepping into a new way of being, starting on a completely new journey, though fearing it at the same time and feeling somewhat stuck in my current situation, so this reading feels pretty accurate and offers great insights. also, last month’s reading and this reading now were filled with major arcana cards so there’s a lot of potential and great opportunities for deeper growth. lots of powerful cards here guiding me on my journey.. i’m extremely appreciative and grateful <3

i have to study the cards and their synergies more but this is a pretty good start for may! can’t wait to see where the month leads me.

// ETA

i was examining the synergies between the cards and i think it’s interesting how the star (healing) crowns the ace of cups (beginnings) and the world (endings) and the two cards connect to three of cups (which is basically something that i really want: synergies between like-minded individuals). i’ve always considered the threes as foundational cards, like laying the bricks, because they are first cards after the harmonious and balanced twos. so there’s healing to be done with both beginnings and endings before the three of cups.

also, there’s a line connecting the phoenix (rebirth) and the ace of cups (beginnings) to the three of cups, and a line connecting the universe (the super charged world basically) and the world to the three of cups. so the left side is beginnings and the right side is endings. 

the line of cards at the top is the phoenix (rebirth), the star (healing) and the universe (a higher vibration of the world card). work to be done on a higher level of being.

the second line is the ace of cups and the world. manifestations in the more material realm. both require a human conduit to do/have done their work.

the third line is the three of cups, highlighted by the lovers as if it’s saying yes to all the harmony and attraction in this reading?

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You dream, some nights, of a labyrinth deep beneath the ground, where you learned to fear halogen lights and distant booming sounds.

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Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know.

Pema Chodron (via naturaekos)

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Do you want something good to instantly happen? Do this. Now.

1. Think of three (3) things which you are happy and truly truly appreciate in your life right now.

2. Visualize these three events or things or person/s in three different circles.

3. Make these circles hover around your mind. Now milk the joy of it. Really feel in your body how joyful you are. Start by inhaling deeply and slowly… Visualize these events going into your cells.

4. Once you feel that good feelings started to come, multiply it, really feel elated by maximizing the feelings of joy.

5. Upon reaching that state of joy where you can no longer contain it, say “Aaaahhhhhhh” and imagine the sound “ahhhhhh” giving life to those positive images you have in your mind. “Ahh” is a primordial sound of creation. Put positive emotions and passion in the “ahh” sound.

6. Expect some miracles to happen. Something positive will happen in the next days to come. Be alert, and see the magic of heightened joy coupled with the sound of creation. Miracles will manifest themselves.

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This place is a dream. Only a sleeper considers it real. Then death comes like dawn, and you wake up laughing at what you thought was your grief.

Rumi

For my beloved friend, motherofhermes, whose mother ( and guru )passed away early on Saturday morning. Om Namo Bhagavate Sri Ramanaya:

(via ashramof1)

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april 28, 2018

the month is drawing to a close. i’ve been reflecting on this month’s theme which i set to be physical manifestations, particularly on the employment and financial security front. i was fairly successful at that. i just signed a 2-month work contract for the summer a few days ago, heard back about being possibly accepted to do a freelance content writing project, and i should be paid for my previous freelance gigs within a few days. feeling extremely grateful <3

i’ve been thinking a lot about the theme for next month. first i thought the theme should be friendship as i’ve struggled with that lately.. i feel like my friendships are pretty dysfunctional. i don’t feel that connected with my friends, i don’t feel appreciated or understood, there’s mutual judgment and disagreements, my soul years for deep and meaningful conversations about more spiritual and intellectual matters while not getting that in my current relationships.. i’m very displeased with my friendships, even though i’ve been trying to practice appreciation, but it’s not working with so much negative momentum already happening. so with all that in mind, you would think that friendship would be a good theme for may, however i realised that my relationships are a reflection of me, so i think setting myself and my personal development as the theme makes more sense. i want to work on negativity in relationships but before that i have to work on myself.

i will do a theme-setting meditation and a tarot reading on the 30th but today, as yesterday was pretty tough in terms of relationships, i did a chakra meditation and a chakra oracle card reading which turned out to be very insightful. the chakra meditation hinted at my third eye and heart chakra being blocked with these issues i’ve been having. the card i drew for my third eye was Enlightenment (”if i seek peace, i must embrace my fears”) which was pretty accurate. i think i’m holding on to these friendships out of fear of being alone but at the same time i’m constantly experiencing judgment and rejection in those relationships which leaves me in a constant anxious knot in my head. the card for my heart chakra was, conveniently, Rejection (”they won’t use me”) which spoke very strongly to me, especially these words: “They honor his individuality when they invite him, yet when he appears, they reject it by not using him” (a pretty accurate description of how i feel with my friends; i’m invited but at the same time sort of rejected and judged when i’m there?). the words of advice were comforting: “you don’t have to be ‘on the inside track’. be true to yourself and you will not be unhappy. rejection is spirit’s protection.” i also drew four other cards (Mysticism, Abundance, Instinct, Perception) to aid with other aspects of my life and they were pretty accurate too. i’m glad i’m finally connecting with these oracle cards. for about two years i was struggling with that. 

i have to meditate more on these cards, though. my spiritual practice is pretty scattered sometimes and i know i have to work on that too. i draw cards or meditate and reflect on their insights for a day and then just forget about it and i know it’s not a good way to go. (which is one of the reasons why i started this blog, to keep tabs on myself  and to document my journey and to reflect more.)

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Don’t slide through life. Savor it. Slow down. Be kind. Pay attention. Because this isn’t going to happen again.

Carrie Fisher (via oh-cause-its-gravity)

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You are drowning yourself by overthinking everything. The next time you find yourself overthinking or beating yourself over something, picture something simple and put no thought into it. Look at the trees moving in the wind or take a moment to look at how beautiful this world is. This world is too beautiful for you to waste your time in unecessary thoughts that are just drowning you.