Tag: Botanical Inspirations Deck

Love is in the Air ~ Oracle reading

Hello lovely people.  Today I have for you an oracle reading for the season of love, a time that for many gets compressed into a single day – a day of anticipation, dread, expectation, let-down, joy.. so many outcomes people desire all heaped on this one day.

Rather than focus on that, this reading is intended to offer you, the reader, a gentle reminder, a nudge in a healthy direction, a bit of contemplation, the opportunity to consider where your boundaries between what is you, and what is other, really exist.

I have drawn 3 cards today, one each from the Faeries’ oracle, the Water Crystal oracle, and the Botanical Inspirations deck.  As always, within sacred space and intention for useful communication.

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The Faery Godmother is our first card – she is about lessons.  A lesson of learning to give and receive unconditionally; a lesson on opening our hearts to love and acceptance; a lesson in passing on kindnesses we have received to others.  Surrounded as we are at the moment (at least in many of our cultures) with Valentine’s Day advertising and product everywhere, that bit about unconditional giving & receiving is especially timely.   For any of us who have been hurt in the past, or suffered loss of various types, opening our hearts to love, or even to acceptance, may be hard, scary, unimaginable.  Give it some thought, journal about it.  And if you cannot think of a kindness you have received, think about one you wish you would – and find a way in which you can do that for another.  Get that energy in motion, flowing, moving, growing.

Tuberose is our second card – this flower is about knowing yourself, allowing yourself to see the part of you which you consider wild.  Quote: “There are times to be restrained and there are moments when your wild, sensual side yearns to be expressed.  If you never take risks and allow yourself a few ‘dangerous pleasures’ you will never discover your own true colors.”  As you think about what it is about you that is wild, dangerous, sensual – ask yourself if there are any steps you can take in which to explore those elements.  Consider before actually leaping, that it is probably not in your better interests to break the law or to break your personal moral code.   What is “wild”?  What is “sensual”?  What, to you, are “dangerous pleasures”?

Our third and final card is the water crystal “Water of Lourdes”, love.  This card comes with two thoughts – the first, which goes with all of the healing cards in the deck, is “remember that to love yourself is to love and thank all of existence”.  And the second, which is particular to this card, is “Filled with the love and appreciation energy of the Mother Mary, this water is said to help heal negative emotions.”    In healing our soul hurts, we become more able to heal our hearts and to truly love ourselves.  Our whole selves.

I sincerely wish for you that this reading has given you not only food for thought, but inspiration for actionable things you can do this season on your soul journey of love.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you, and may you have a blessed Season of Love!

Violets & Tulips

On this hot summer morning (for many of us in the northern hemisphere) it was refreshing to pull the violet and tulip cards.  These flowers bring to mind cool rainy days followed by mild sunshine, singing birds, and delicious fragrances.

These flowers represent gentleness, faithfulness, friendship and modesty – in other words, it may be a good day to spend some time appreciating the deep friendships in your life.  A day for recognizing them with simple gestures rather than a grand party.

Perhaps an excellent day for catching up over lunch or sitting down to write a little note of kindness to drop in the mail.

 

Hydrangea

I awoke this morning to cooler temperatures (albeit not actually cool weather) but quite smoky in the air.  Living in Montana means wildfires and this year has been quite brutal.  I am blessed to be nowhere near the raging fires but smoke carries quite far on the winds.

Anyhow, Tuesdays I will be featuring a card from the Botanical Inspirations deck (by Lynn Araujo), some chatter about tea or coffee or what-have-you, and whatever whimsy might pop into my head.

Today I’m sipping hot coffee – nothing terribly fancy, just a blend of a random medium roast bean and a scoop of the chicory coffee I came across at the grocery.  Something about the heaviness in the air seemed to call for coffee.

So the card I have drawn today is Hydrangea.  The blossom on the card is a gorgeous mix of pale to medium pinks.  So lovely!  I have never grown this plant.  It seems like the sort of thing one would find in a Miss Marple murder mystery – a garden border full of hydrangeas being trimmed or tied up or something as sinister deeds are afoot in the manor house.

This card has nothing to do with sinister deeds in a murder mystery… haha!  It is actually speaking to having gratitude.  The key phrase on the card is “Thankfulness for Understanding”.   This ties in well with the card yesterday – one way to let more joy into your life is to let go of the emotions you are tied to other people with – to forgive and let go so those energies aren’t weighing you down any longer.

Scott Cunningham, in his Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs, notes that hydrangea is not recommended for internal use.  So, don’t make tea with this!  He lists the bark of hydrangea as being useful for breaking hexes – and maybe just maybe, if you’re having a hard time letting go of an issue that is weighing on your mind, you could use it to assist with “breaking ties” with that emotional energy.   Make up a little pouch or amulet with a bit of bark and carry in your pocket perhaps.  I would think even a bit of the skin on the stems of cut hydrangeas would do, if you are like me and have no hydrangea bark in your witchy cupboard.

Words like “soft” “lush” “delicate” “velvety” come to mind as I browse images of hydrangeas in bloom.  A welcome diversion on a hot dry July morning.