It has been a while since my last blog post. I have had some health issues that are finally improving! I caught influenza A and a pneumonia toward the end of February which then evolved into bronchitis. Thanks to all of the medicine that I have been on, I am finally starting to feel better (and can breathe without the frequent coughing and wheezing!). On March 5th, I leveled up and turned 46 years old!
I have spent a lot of quality time with my family celebrating my birthday. I have eaten a lot of good food and have had a lot of fun doing various fun things as a family (which is one of my favorite things to do!). Today, I played 18 holes of golf with my husband who loves golf and is really into it which is in contrast to myself who goes to spend time with him, get a little exercise, and smack some balls around! I decided to pull a Tarot card at the various holes as I was inspired by the scenery around me! Golf courses have some of the best woods and landscape out there which was an excellent source of inspiration! I used the Bee Tarot by Kristoffer Hughes and Nadia Turner.
It was a busy weekend so we started on the back nine holes as per the marshall who directed people as to where to go. I believe he attempted to keep people from getting backed up at the holes waiting their turn although there were many people there today so that appeared to be an impossible task. As I waited to hit my first ball, I saw a cool rock that resembled the skull of a bird off to the side of the path and drew a card.
I got The Keeper/The Fool which totally made sense because I was at the beginning of my golf game with my husband! We moved on to the next hole where I pulled another card.
I got Rebirth (renamed from Judgement). After jumping forward an hour with some of the first signs of Spring, namely warmer temperatures and longer days, this is a time to start anew. Just like the little bee pictured hatching on this card from a shell which was secured in honey, we too will be inspired to get out and about more and do things! With the spirals noted in the honeycomb, I thought of how even the smallest of actions spiral out and become this big thing which causes change!
On to the next hole! At this point, Tim and I weren't playing our best game. Despite not having the best game, I spoke with my hubby about how we choose a positive mindset and just do the best we can. With consistent efforts, improvements are made. If we choose to a negative mindset, we defeat ourselves before making any efforts which is self-defeating and not productive.
I then drew the Prince of Wands. My eyes were immediately drawn to his cat who is seen running away from the central figure and has a leash connected to his collar. It reminded me of The Chariot. The Prince of Wands has one leg bent like he wants to move forward but one leg remains planted. I thought of how important it is to be realistic about the goals we set for ourselves. The central figure is surrounded by three bee boxes (which seems like a lot to tend to in addition to an ornery, hyper cat!). What shots do we want to take? Have we thought things out well enough prior to committing to an endeavor/project?
The sum of our consistent efforts leads to an outcome. Let's take a closer look:
The 7 of Pentacles is all about evaluation. Are we where we want to be? What are we using as our standard for success? In the card, there are two central figures. How does our work better ourselves and our community? Are we seeking positive experiences to help us grow and improve the world around us? If we are not where we want to be, what efforts can be made to change things up? It is ok not to have everything figured out, you know. What makes you happy? What do you love to do? What do you have an interest in? Once you figure that out, the rest of the action steps toward your goal will fall into place. You gotta find your purpose, your "why". For me, I enjoy taking care of others. I have a special place in my heart for children and seniors. I look for opportunities within my community (such as donating to a local food pantry). Look for ways to make a difference. When we do good acts, we feel good. There is a lot of negativity out there due to politics. However, what shines in the darkness is the light. Be someone's light to help them find their way.
When anything we do is rooted in love/compassion for another person, it comes from a good place. It is good to try to be like a big tree with its roots planted firmly in the ground for stability and strength as its branches reach toward the Heavens, wide open, welcoming and being open to new experiences! There is something pretty awesome about standing barefoot on the grass as one looks upward toward the sky as the warm sun shines on their face. For that moment, we are rooted and present. Sometimes, it is good to be like a tree!
I drew the Two of Jars (aka 2 of Cups) as I gazed at a pond where it was really murky! It was green with algae and there were many dead leaves that surrounded the periphery of the pond. I felt like this pond was a metaphor for all of our past failures/shortcomings which tell us that we "aren't good enough" or cannot do something. We are enough. We may not necessarily like everything about our lot in life but we can choose to make the best out of a situation and what we have! What caught my attention about this card is how the guy is totally not interested in the piece of cake the lady is holding out toward him. Maybe he doesn't like that cake? Or maybe it isn't his preferred flavor? However, if the guy doesn't try the cake, he will not know if he is actually missing out on something pretty tasty and awesome! Is there a community where you could learn something new in an area that interests you? I recently started taking guitar lessons and will be teaching about cryptids in my Facebook group as a way to engage with community while learning and growing. This is your cue to do the thing! Meet new people and learn something new!
When we collaborate with others, we learn something new and gain a new perspective! Tim and I were paired up on our last nine holes with an elderly couple from Florida who were planning to move to Missouri to be by their grandchildren. They were such a friendly couple with a good sense of humor (including their bad shots!). It just goes to show that laughing things off can be good for our souls!
Remember to not get too carried away! The King of Wands is creative and logical. However, look at his feet: they are not planted on the ground! It would appear his throne has elevated him quite a bit off the ground! Remember: Realistic goals and small changes! The tortoise wins the race.
Between work obligations and balancing the things we want to do outside work, find a balance with this new beginning. Once you figure out what you want to do, commit to the endeavor.
Toward the end of our day on the course, we saw a young deer. She was so still and observant. There is beauty in the world around us. We gotta make an effort to see it. Take advantage of the warm weather and go outside!
I hope you all have an awesome week filled with much love, happiness, and growth! When presented with a ball and something to smack it with, give it your best effort! You won't know where the ball will go if you don't try to smack the heck out of it!
Sincerely,
The Crow Lady