Hot Girl Shit: Tarot and Mental Health: Self Care and Swords

My Meow-Meows!

It's been a while since I've posted, and to be honest, it's not for lack of attempts.  I have embarked on several posts.  At least 7 that I can think of...and while I started out thinking I knew where I wanted to direct the content I was writing, I lost steam fast.

It's a challenge of mine. Something that pops into my head in the moment, sounds absolutely ridiculous just hours later; and so numerous unpublished drafts get canned.

Stating that, I started a new job this week with a nation-wide mental health organization.  At least one of my colleagues is excited about my tarot habit (and a couple of others have expressed intrigue at my press-on nail habit), and so, my brain has been sprouting ideas about how I use tarot to help with my own mental health.

At first glance, I wouldn't really think too much about it - tarot is a part of my everyday.  Sometimes I will use the cards to gain insight into a situation or circumstances.  I will always follow up with a spell through tarot, to see how things are developing.  But there are so many days where I just shuffle the cards mindlessly in my hands.  It's a soothing activity for me; if one jumps out of the deck as I'm handling them, I will read it and see if there's a message there.  

Whether I am soothed by casually mixing my cards up is a function of their energy, or simply because I am a fidgety child, remains to be determined.  That's not what I'm writing about tonight.

No, no.  Tonight, I am offering you an activity that you can practice for self care.  A little something to supplement your own mental health, because more tools are better than fewer.

This exercise is simple enough; it only requires that you pull one card.  My preferred way is to shuffle and pick a card at random.  However, if you have a specific feeling or subject matter you want to focus on, you can select a card ahead of time, and use that.  For example, if you're looking at moving or transition from one point to another, you could decide to pull the Chariot, and do the exercise that way.  Neither way is more "right"...just as with all aspects of my practice, I rely on my intuition to guide my methods.  Let your gut be your guide!

So, whichever way you "choose" your card, you only need one.  Set the rest of the deck aside, and just lay the card face up in front of you.  You can be at a table, on the floor, in bed...just don't be driving.

If you've chosen the card at random, then this exercise will feel more "free-flowing" than if you picked a card that is aimed at a particular subject.  If the latter is the case, you will be meditating or "thinking on" the circumstance you're experiencing, and then considering the message that your particular card has for you.  If you're free-birding it, you're going to possibly have a deeper exploration.  This is because the card itself will bring your attention and focus to something that you may not even be fully aware of.  I think I like this method best, because I often have feelings or senses that I can't attribute to anything or direct anywhere, specific.  The cards help to cut the noise, and narrow my intuition enough to make out where the vibe is coming from.

Play some Heilung.  Burn some incense.  Light some candles.  Get comfortable.  For a fun little bit of tracking, have a notebook and pen/pencil/crayon/blood of your enemies at hand to journal about your card meditation.  Over time, you may find patterns in the cards that present themselves in this exercise.  

If you've pulled your card at random from the deck, is it upside down?  Turn it right side up.  There's no need to interpret inverted meanings; since you'll likely be able to determine if/when you're experiencing obstacles or barriers impacting your circumstances.

For my personal example here, I've pulled the Ace of Swords.  I notice here, that my incense has burned out.  However, I am too cozy to get off the couch, and the Lo-Fi beats are lulling me into a state of...not worrying about it.  There are candles.  We're good.

I love aces.  As they always signify a new beginning, they're so full of potential, promising power and success in our ventures.  The Ace of Swords is a fierce being.  One that cuts through bullshit and is full of new and exciting ideas to act upon.  Adversities may arise, but they're no match for the blade of victory held by this nyph.

To meditate on this card, I look at the new paths I am walking.  It's still the first month of a new year.  The lockdown that has been sitting on this province since the start of November is being eased (slightly).  I started a new job. I have been dancing with intermittent fasting and started a membership with Jordan Syatt's Inner Circle (awesome, by the way; more on that in a later post).  Needless to say, I have hot girl shit going on.

Next, I look at where I am really feeling my power; where can I recognize successes and victories?  I have increased my physical activity (I have never been so excited to have stairs at work).  I have been consistently maintaining 16 hour fasting windows for most of this week.  I am recognizing where I am reinforcing boundaries, and I am holding my own space more.  My mental health is better than it has ever been; and I came to realize this early this month.  This is a HUGE victory.  Maybe the biggest.  I feel confident.  Though I am working on lowering my body weight, the focus is far less on my physical appearance, and far more on the fact that I want to help my hips, knees, ankles, and back feel less achy.  Gaining 30 pounds very quickly has placed a lot of extra force on my joints, and with this being my 40th year, I'm definitely not wanting to invite more arthritis into my life.  

About this confidence, though.  My negative self talk has diminished significantly.  Not just the stuff that makes it out of my mouth, either.  My actual internal self talk has improved, massively.  I have made significant strides.  Not all bad things are all bad.  Pandemic has changed many of us in some way or another; I'm grateful that I have been able to improve on myself.  

Now, really look at the card you've picked.  What stands out?  What catches your eye?  What do you connect with?  I immediately notice the ivy climbing the blade of this sword, crowning the figure.  I think of my green babies.  My vines and climbers and hanging plants.  How effortlessly strong they are.  How they just know how to grow; to follow the sunlight as it shifts through the day.  I decide that I must have more.  Plant stores are opening again this weekend, and I definitely have some spots that need "greening".

MOAR PLANTS.  There are never enough plants.  Think of the air quality!  The gentle photosynthesizing energy they bring to every room...but I digress.

The face in my card shows nothing but clear determination and certainty.  This being knows what they want.  They know how they want to attain these goals, and they're going to cut through any bullshit they find in their way.  

And I'll be damned if I don't follow suit.  Hot Girl Shit includes pursuing greatness, and it just happens to be time for me to realize mine.

And it's with that affirming thought, that you end the exercise.  You have your insight; your guidance.  For me, it's to continue in the direction I'm moving.  Remain confident.  Keep growing. Keep getting better.

Write your observations down.  As I mentioned before, trends will start to develop over time.  You may find that the cards get "louder" if you don't listen to them...or they may be very encouraging as your pursuits continue to align with their advice.  Keep track of this.  Journal your thoughts, feelings, and insights.

Tap into yourself.  Build your intuition.  Improve your mental health by empowering yourself.  Experience your own magic.