Medicine Cards

Standstill – ND #49

Posted on by Lisa Weikel 3 Comments
My most recent copy of The Book of Runes* by Ralph Blum

Standstill

I love when I start a post having no idea where it’s going (indeed, if it’s going anywhere), only to have something quite unexpected spontaneously appear. That’s what happened last night, when I had the image and name of a rune – Isa – ‘Standstill’ – practically show up and do a tap dance on my laptop.

I yearned to write something interesting last night, or at least descriptive of the weird feelings I was having, yet none of my ‘go-to’ divinatory tools appealed to me. I tried a couple of different types of decks and as I sat holding them in my hands, I kept getting a clear, “No.”

And so I sort of wrote around my feelings (which haven’t abated much, yet, I’m sad to report) until – boom! – a very specific rune demanded my mind’s attention.

Runes

I haven’t gone back into my journals today to get specifics, but it is quite possible that Karl and I picked Runes on our walks even before we began choosing Medicine Cards*. I remember buying our first set of Runes (included with The Book of Runes* by Ralph Blum) back at Sagittarius Books. We probably ended up owning half the inventory of that gem of inner transformation tucked away in an alley in New Hope. I can honestly say that bookstore was the lifeline that fed my soul and opened me up to the life I knew I wanted and needed to live. I miss it.

Actually, I’m sure our consistent use of Runes pre-dated our work with the Medicine Cards* because I now recall picking a Rune – Hagalaz – on the day I took a huge tumble, face-first, into a local creek. I wrote about that experience and what unfolded in our lives afterward, in my book, Owl Medicine*.

I guess I’m mentioning all of this because I am fascinated by how I plucked the name of the Rune that appeared in my mind’s eye last night out of thin air – or at least the wisps of memory. It’s been years since I worked with them.

Last Night’s Runic Appearance

While I felt quite certain that just the acknowledgment of the keyword associated with this Rune, Standstill, hit the nail on the head of what I felt I’m experiencing (rather ungracefully), I almost gasped when I once again read the explanation of Isa in The Book of Runes by Ralph Blum. And I have to share it with you:

Isa – Standstill/That Which Impedes/Ice

“The winter of the spiritual life is upon you. You may find yourself entangled in a situation to whose implications you are, in effect, blind. You may be powerless to do anything except submit, surrender, even sacrifice some long-cherished desire. Be patient, for this is the period of gestation that precedes a birth.

Positive accomplishment is unlikely now. There is a freeze on useful activity, all your plans are on hold. You may be experiencing an unaccustomed drain on your energy and wonder why: A chill wind is reaching you over the ice floes of old outmoded habits.

Trying to hold on can result in shallowness of feeling, a sense of being out of touch with life. Seek to discover what it is you are holding onto that keeps this condition in effect, and let go. Shed, release, cleanse away the old. That will bring on the thaw.

Usually Isa requires a sacrifice of the personal, the ‘I.’ And yet there is no reason for anxiety. Submit and be still, for what you are experiencing is not necessarily the result of your actions or habits, but of the conditions of the time against which you can do nothing. What has been full must empty; what has increased must decrease. This is the way of Heaven and Earth. To surrender is to display courage and wisdom.

At such a time, do not hope to rely on help or friendly support. In your isolation, exercise caution and do not stubbornly persist in attempting to work your will. Remain mindful that the seed of the new is present in the shell of the old, the seed of unrealized potential, the seed of the good. Trust your own process, and watch for signs of spring.”

My Take

Whoa. Nailed it. Lots and lots to contemplate.

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(T+49)

Rebirth – Day 979

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Bat Front Approaching – Photo: L.Weikel

Rebirth

It just so happens my Medicine Card* ‘pick’ for the day today was Bat/Armadillo. Simply stated, Bat is often associated with the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The single key word given for Bat in the book that accompanies the Medicine Cards is ‘rebirth.’ But truth be told, no one ever gets to rebirth without first experiencing ‘death.’ And that’s simply not a truth our culture feels comfortable acknowledging or accepting.

The fact that Bat showed up for me today felt affirming, to be honest. I feel surrounded by messages and signs of impending death or the crumbling of systems, norms, traditions, and foundations at not only personal but also cultural, systemic, and global levels.

Yeah, I’ve written periodically about the ‘theme’ of this year (2021) being tearing down the old structures and foundations in order to usher in radical transformation. Mostly I’ve addressed this in terms of how this is reflected in the stars (technically, the planets). Specifically, I’ve suggested that Saturn ‘squaring’ Uranus three times this year is the ‘tell’ for this cataclysmic shifting taking place on our planet and in our lives.

I’m not saying the movement of these planets and the way they’re aspecting each other is causing this to happen here on Earth. But perhaps the adage ‘as above, so below’ plays a role here.

Patterns, Sequences, and Harmonies

I’m suggesting that the movement of these huge outer planets is reflecting an energetic interaction or pattern that’s playing out on many levels of magnitude, right down to the microscopic, here on Earth. “From the macrocosm to the microcosm,” as they say. My approach to all of this is that the Universe provides us with a vast array of roadmaps and suggested operating procedures to help us navigate through our lives and through the millennia.

So when those who study the movements taking place within our solar system suggest that the underpinnings of many of our institutions and beliefs are going to crumble or be destroyed and replaced with concepts or approaches that feel like radical transformations, like ‘lightning bolts out of the blue,’ we might want to stop for a second. Look around. Pay attention.

What’s happening all around us? Fundamental concepts are being shredded. Institutions we thought inviolable are being violated. And on a personal level, perhaps, beliefs and relationships we thought were true and forever are also struck by lightning and either shattered or energized in a whole new way.

In fact, we might even want to consider whether the ‘foundation’ of pooh-poohing systems of study such as astrology needs to be torn down and replaced with an open-minded willingness to consider there just might be something to these recurring patterns.

Bats, Death, and Rebirth

It’s time to publish this post and I feel like I’m only scratching the surface of my contemplations. Late this afternoon I was reminded that I’d picked Bat today when I saw this huge one looming on the horizon. This Bat brought torrential rains, flooding, and a clearing of the way for something new.

Perspective on the Bat Front – Photo: L.Weikel

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(T-132)

Dragon Blood – Day 944

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Iris Dragon – Photo: L. Weikel

Dragon Blood

It’s futile to dispute: Irises traffic in Dragon blood. They have to. They either traffic in it or have it coursing within themselves. There’s no way Dragons could feature so prominently in the visages of irises without there being a deep and abiding  – magical some might say – connection between the two.

They’re tricksters, too. I’ll give them that. Just take a look at this spray of irises emerging from a well-manicured garden along the path of my walk. Sure appears benign to me. In fact, it almost goes without saying that these flowers could call out in unison, “Nothing to see here!” and passersby would, well, pass by without nary a second look.

But of course, I’m not your ordinary passerby. I tend to linger a bit when I happen upon a thing of beauty. (Photos in my repertoire would suggest that I’m not only attracted to the beautiful. But I’ll leave that for another day.) When my attention is drawn to something, I tend to examine it from many angles and, if possible, get a couple good shots of it to share here in my 1111 Devotion.

So much beauty – with Dragons hiding in plain sight! Photo: L. Weikel

Magic Strikes Twice

As it happens, I’ve encountered these irises before. I wrote about them two years ago – almost to the day. I’m not sure if I even saw them bloom last year. But if I did, I apparently was too distracted by life to write about them.

From the quality of my photos, I’d say this year’s crop of Dragons is more blatant and ready to be identified and claimed. I’ll leave that assessment up to you, though. But I dare you to tell me this one isn’t pushing the sassy envelope. I can even read expressions on the face of this Nature Being.

Interesting Coincidence

I was pretty sure I wrote a post about these Iris Dragons a while ago. Turns out, as I mentioned above, it was two years ago – within two days or so of this exact date, not to put too fine a point on it.

When I researched that post, I was fascinated to be reminded of the appearance of Raven in my Medicine Card choice that day. Indeed, I’d chosen ‘Raven Squared,’ which means Raven was the main card that I chose, with only a blank card at the bottom of the deck.

Raven is often associated with magic and synchronicity. As a result, I wrote about the magic coursing through my life at that moment, which was exemplified by my discovery of these whimsical creatures ‘in plain sight.’

As it happens, I chose Swan reversed this morning. And underneath that choice? You guessed it: Raven.

A Magic Message

My Swan may have been telling me that I’ve been doubting myself and my intuition lately. I’ve been doubting what I know. I realize now that Raven came pecking at the door to my inner knowing through the appearance of the Iris Dragon. Raven shows up when we need to remember the magic – a timely reminder for all of us?

What an expression – Photo: L. Weikel

(T-167)

Organizing – Day 931

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Organizing at its Finest – Photo: L. Weikel

Organizing

Today was a day. The chilly and wet weather outside made it exponentially harder to avoid dealing with the task that’s been whining at me for months. The boxes of papers and files I’ve accumulated – no, curated – over the years have quietly begun organizing themselves into a rowdy group of troublemakers.

Yes, it’s grown harder and harder to ignore the piles and stacks of boxes that basically document our lives. So Karl and I both threw ourselves into the task today. Forty years of marriage wizened us to intuitively retreat to opposite ends of the house to tackle our respective monsters. This exercise, not for the faint of heart, could easily devolve into chaos if we shared too much of our respective struggles.

Forewarned

It could be said that my Medicine Card* pick on the day warned me how to proceed. I chose Snake reversed/Lynx. Snake is transmutation, so there’s the metaphor of getting bitten by snakes but being able to transmute the poison so it doesn’t kill you. There’s also, of course, the shedding of a snake’s skin – shedding one’s outer identity and becoming someone or something new. But the key word today, for me, was shedding. Getting rid of the baggage. Perhaps sloughing off the old beliefs of who and what I am or need to be in order to fit into this world. However I wanted to interpret Snake showing up for me today, I still needed to remember that it was upside down: so it was likely I might try to avoid the shedding of my skin – but ultimately it would prove futile.

And with Lynx underneath? Perhaps I was to keep my mouth shut about my process of shedding my skin – or maybe, in shedding my skin, I would be introduced to a whole new brotherhood or sisterhood as a result.

Old Habits

I think becoming a lawyer indulged (or perhaps even worsened) my persnickety compulsion to keep very precise records. Early on in my career, I learned that having everything I might need stored in a well-marked place where I could easily put my hands on it made my life exponentially easier. Thus, I have a file folder for everything. And I have those file folders organized and neatly stored in boxes that hold hanging folders.

The problem started getting out of hand when we got rid of our filing cabinets. Admittedly, they were dinosaurs – bulky, outdated, rusting – but they kept it all ‘under one roof.’ That was helpful. So when we decided to clear them out, I was left with plastic filing boxes here, there, and everywhere.

Cue the Sadness and Discomfort

And then I started going through the boxes.

Yup. I know why I’ve been avoiding this task. And I’m also recognizing the sad synchrony of this being Memorial Day (weekend) and how I feel going through my myriad folders of paper today.

I may not be remembering and honoring the service of military people by wading through these folders, but I am engaging in honoring memories.

And wading is the appropriate term. Wow. This is hard. And it’s bringing up lots of feelings.

Perhaps I’ll have more to share tomorrow. In the meantime – I wish we could all feel more confident that the sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces to protect democracy and our republic were being honored and respected by those in power today.

Things feel disturbingly precarious this Memorial Day.

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(T-180)

Stalked By Spirit – Day 791

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Bald Eagle over the Tohickon – Photo: L. Weikel

Stalked By Spirit

Well, let’s face it. I think if any of us are going to be stealthily pursued by anyone or anything, getting stalked by Spirit is unquestionably the best option.

I wrote the other day, last Tuesday as a matter of fact, that I’d been feeling pretty anxious over, well, lots of things, but in particular the Senate run-off elections in Georgia taking that day. (Is it even possible that not six days have gone by since that election?)

As we know, a great victory for democracy was won that day (at least in my opinion); two victories, actually, although one wasn’t officially ‘called’ until the next – exponentially more momentous – day.

Writing in my journal as I sat beside my beloved Tohickon Creek, I felt an oppressive sense weighing me down. A sense of foreboding. Or perhaps it was a feeling that I – we – were on the brink of being forsaken by our better angels. My outlook dramatically shifted when I caught sight of the bald eagle perched at the surface of the creek. I felt heard. Seen. Acknowledged – somehow reassured that all would be well.

Bald Eagle ‘in’ the Tohickon – Photo: L. Weikel

Two Days Later

Two days later, just this past Thursday, Karl and I took a walk in the middle of the day. Naturally, our conversation was consumed by the events we’d helplessly witnessed unfolding the day before, before our very eyes, as insurgents attempted a coup at our nation’s capitol.

Suddenly, a gorgeous bald eagle appeared from behind a massive pine tree we were approaching. The surprisingly mewling, creaky cry of this raptor, which is so different than the distinct shriek of a red-tailed hawk, registered in the back of my mind as our faces swept up to catch sight of it wheeling and turning right above our heads, not more than 15 feet above us.

We were buzzed by a bald eagle. Only two days after I’d had that magical sighting right on the creek.

Yesterday

I returned to the creek again yesterday (Saturday). I needed a little time to listen to the soothing voice of the Tohickon and write in my journal again. Digesting the details of the events that are unspooling before our very eyes is no easy task. Making sense of the reactions of both our lawmakers and our fellow citizens is growing increasingly difficult. Figuring out our place and what we can do to shape the outcome of these times we’re living in is an essential task.

The day was overcast again and there was precious little animal or bird activity. A ‘V’ of seven Canadian geese flew west, upstream. But that was it. Nor did I expect anything. Everything felt dormant to me. In hiding. Withdrawn.

Eventually, I turned my car around and headed home. Just as I approached the bridge where I caught sight of the hawk four days before, I looked up. Wheeling in wide loops above me was the eagle. I swear, it’s the same one. But who knows? It’s certainly all within its territory.

I was able to pull over and snag a shot of it as it swooped in arcs above my head. Slowly, lazily, it wove its way downstream.

Three sightings in the span of six days. Yes, I can explain it away logically. I live within the territory of this bird. Of course I’m going to see it.

But I choose to believe there’s a bit more consciousness behind these encounters. A little bit more mystery, more intention, more connection.

Medicine Card Message

A couple sentences from the entry about Eagle (whose keyword is Spirit) from Medicine Cards* by Jamie Sams and David Carson:

“In learning to fiercely attack your personal fear of the unknown, the wings of your soul will be supported by the ever-present breezes which are the breath of the Great Spirit.

…

If you have been walking in the shadow of former realities, Eagle brings illumination. Eagle teaches you to look higher and to touch Grandfather Sun with your heart, to love the shadow as well as the light. See the beauty in both, and you will take flight like the Eagle.”

Hmm.

Three’s a charm. Perhaps it’s time to pay attention. Maybe stop walking in the shadow of former realities. Perhaps it’s time to really and truly start paying attention to Spirit’s teachings.

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(T-321)

Grand Conjunction – Day 771

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Grand Conjunction – Photo: L. Weikel

Grand Conjunction

I received the most amazing of gifts today. Seriously. It felt surreal when it all unfolded and almost feels more so as I sit here looking at the photographs I took documenting it. Right before our very eyes, Karl and I witnessed the Grand Conjunction reveal itself from behind a thin layer of clouds, Saturn and Jupiter beaming their conjoined brilliance toward us within the span of two thrilling minutes, and then disappear once again.

We decided to time our walk to take place just as the sun slipped below the horizon. I’d had my eye on the Weather Channel since this morning and knew a cloud cover was moving in, with rain predicted in the early evening. The likelihood of personally witnessing this cosmic event in our area was viewed with increasingly universal pessimism. As you can imagine, given the way I’ve been rather zealously documenting Jupiter’s approach to Saturn over the past few months, I was disappointed, but not surprised. The weather seems to do this to us humans a lot.

Turkey

Even though I’ve not mentioned it lately, Karl and I still choose Medicine Cards* every morning. My pick today was Rabbit/Turkey, which means my ‘main’ choice for the day was Rabbit, while ‘underneath’ (on the bottom of the deck) was Turkey.

The keyword for Rabbit is Fear. There’s a whole medicine story of how Rabbit became associated with fear in some Native American traditions, but that didn’t seem particularly applicable, at least not today. I joked to Karl when I read it that maybe it was a reflection of my fear that all the unfortunate weather predictions would come to pass and we wouldn’t get to see the Grand Conjunction.

“But look!” I exclaimed, flashing the bottom of the deck in Karl’s direction. “I got Turkey underneath! Maybe the clouds will part and we’ll experience something magical.” I said that because Turkey’s keyword is “Giveaway.” And amongst its many messages, probably the most foundational inference of Turkey is that a gift will be received.

As the day wore on, we noticed how one instant the sky would be remarkably clear and then half an hour later a cloud cover would move through. This changeability persisted all day, and the hourly forecast on my Weather Channel app did not bode well.

Timing Our Walk

As I said, we timed our walk to hopefully snag a glimpse of the celestial event within a random gap in the clouds. Just after setting out, on the first leg of our usual journey, I stopped and took a photo of the southwestern sky. The prospects looked grim, with only a small band of clear golden light encased between layers of thick looking cloud cover.

Outset of our Walk 12/21/2020- Photo: L. Weikel

We walked all the way around our usual two mile jaunt. As we breached the final hill where I take almost all of my best photos of the night sky (and where I’ve taken virtually all of the incremental shots of Saturn and Jupiter that I’ve included in my posts), we lingered. I felt like we might see them. The cloud cover looked like it was thinning a bit and I yearned to just wait there as long as we could.

But honestly? It felt like a fool’s errand. A wish that held precious little likelihood of manifesting. So we walked home, bummed knowing that we’d never get to actually see this Grand Conjunction, as the next time these planets will be this close and in this conducive a position to be seen won’t be until 2080.

Nevertheless, I didn’t want to give up so easily – and to my delight, neither did Karl. We walked home and took Spartacus’s coat off, and said I was going to drive back to the top of the hill to sit there for a bit and see if the clouds parted like I felt they might. He agreed.

We drove around the circuit three times. Breaching the hill the final time, I decided to take a photo of the cloud cover. The least I could do would be to jokingly post a photo of the spot in the sky where I knew it was taking place.

The Gift

The following photos were taken as follows: #s 1-2 at 5:38, #s 3-4 at 5:39, #5 at 5:40, and #6 at 5:41. As I’ve said many times before: YCMTSU. We saw it. We really truly actually had the Grand Conjunction reveal itself over a span of two minutes…and then disappear once more.

It started to rain less than ten minutes later.

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(T-340)

Gorgeous – Day 740

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Our new friend – Photo: L. Weikel

Gorgeous

I was going to title this post ‘Reputation,’ since that’s the keyword attributed to Skunk in my tried and true Medicine Cards* by Jamie Sams and David Carson. But after I looked at the photos I have to share, there really is only one word that comes to mind. Gorgeous.

Just look at this amazing creature. I can only presume this is the same one that got spooked last week (and let it’s displeasure be known) when Spartacus suddenly bounded in its direction. Clearly Spartacus’s presence has not dissuaded it from finding the plethora of sunflower seeds much to its liking and well worth the stress of dealing with a cat and a dog that uncannily resemble some of its closest relatives. (What is it with us and black-and-white pets?)

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised to discover that Cletus and our Skunk Friend are involved in a little inter-species flirtation. They bear an uncanny resemblance to each other. In fact, I saw Stinky bolt from underneath the feeders, waddling furiously to take refuge, alarmingly, underneath my car. Had I not seen Cletus bound down the flagstone path only moments before, I would have assumed it was he and not given it another thought. They’re almost identical in size and fluff.

But just look at this skunk’s luxurious pelt! Its back is almost entirely white with a black stripe – as opposed to black with a white stripe – and its ample and impressive tail is adorned with a flourish of brilliance.

Adorable – Photo: L. Weikel

Sassy and Adorable

What gets me is the sassy and adorable attitude. I know I should be viewing this beautiful beast’s presence in our yard with more dismay, but I can’t. I love that it’s sharing space with us, at least for the time being. I just hope Spartacus has learned to be at least a bit more circumspect when catching sight of it.

And it most definitely feels quite at home. The other night, when I took these photos, it initially loped in a frenzy to take refuge underneath my car. But it bravely peeked out and waddled back toward the porch where I was standing within less than a minute. I was astonished.

I took a cute little video of it meandering around the yard. It didn’t seem to mind at all that I’d flooded the area with light from the garage and porch. It ventured over our Hill of Moss and trotted through piles of leaves, stopped to sniff and snuffle at the base of our maple tree until nonchalantly returning to the source of its evening repast: our birdfeeders. All the while, I sat on the porch videoing and photographing it.

I was reminded of the hilarious video about the honey badger. Honey Badger “just don’t give a shit” – and neither does our resident skunk.

There’s a lesson here for me – and probably a lot of us. Perhaps on a lot of levels. I just know it.

Just look at that tail – Photo: L. Weikel

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(T-371)

Gentleness – Day 688

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Photo: L. Weikel

Gentleness

It’s been two hours since the debacle ended. My pulse is only now returning to some semblance of a slow and steady beat. And the only thing I can think to write about is gentleness.

What we witnessed tonight is part of the shit-show I suspected would unfold this week. Oh goody – I can’t wait for the moon to become full on Thursday. What lunacy could possibly unfold? I’m sure we’ll find out.

Trauma

Why do I feel gentleness – the main attribute of Deer, which came calling on me every afternoon the past few days – is the watchword for this evening’s post? Because I defy anyone who watched what was billed as a presidential debate (but was never in actuality anything even remotely resembling a debate) to tell me they did not feel battered and traumatized by the disgustingly rude and disrespectful behavior of DT this evening.

As a nation, as humans watching all over the world, quite frankly, we were brutalized. What we witnessed was the unfiltered and unflinching behavior of someone who has never been held to account for himself in his entire life. We witnessed the quintessential bully. While his words and actions may have titillated a small segment of the world – those who are as damaged as he is – I have enough belief in humanity to know that the vast majority of us reject this. He does not speak for us.

And we must mobilize to ensure his deranged tactics are no longer a threat to either our fellow United States citizens or the billions of people with whom we share this planet. We must shift and transmute the energy – the rage, the trauma, the terror – that his behavior is deliberately calculated to trigger within us all into a resolute determination to leave these old ways of trauma-informed tactics behind.

First Take Care of Ourselves

In order to make strides in shifting and transmuting these energies we much first take care of ourselves. And this is where the lesson of Deer comes in. It is essential that we disengage and remember who we are. Walk away from the clips that perpetuate DT’s brutish derision of our system and his opponent, as well as his outrageous lies.

Take a bath, walk in the woods, take ten minutes and just stand outside and look up into the sky. Get ready to greet a new month arriving with the full moon on Thursday.

Deer in the Medicine Cards* (by Jamie Sams and David Carson) entreats us to treat the insane bully with gentleness and loving kindness. In a sense, it will short-circuit him. Don’t argue. Pity him. Make a point of disengaging when the pressure becomes too intense.

Eat some hostas.

Chill Out – these hostas are delicious – Photo: L. Weikel

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(T-423)

Shouting Into the Wind – Day 672

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Tohickon Creek – Photo: L. Weikel

Shouting Into the Wind

I’ve had a frustrating couple of days, but today was by far the worst one yet. I’m not ‘challenging worse,’ as they say (which I am loathe to do), just comparing today’s struggles with the challenges of Friday and Saturday. Pretty much everything I tried to accomplish today felt like I was shouting into the wind.

Nothing seemed to get anywhere. I sent emails and it felt like they went into black holes. And I’m not in any way offering commentary on the recipients of my emails! I frankly doubt whether the emails were ever received.

You’ve heard me complain before about the frustrating lack of speed photos travel when I send them from my iPhone to my computer. It happens randomly, so the best way to try to thwart the issue is by being disciplined. If I think I may want to use it later, I try to remember to send myself – right away – photos I’ve taken during the day. Well, today even emails I was sending to myself seemed to be taking their good ol’ time arriving in my inbox.

And some of them still haven’t arrived. Remember, these are emails I sent to myself. While that’s bad enough, the worst part is that I wouldn’t even know if other people aren’t receiving my emails. That’s frustrating.

My Pick Today

Just as I was writing the paragraph above, I realized that all of this makes sense. I can try to cross things off my list, but when I’m thwarted by silly or little things that I can’t control that literally keep me from taking next steps, it’s wise to take a step back and just breathe.

I chose Salmon2 today – meaning there was a blank card on the bottom of the deck when I chose Salmon as my main card. We interpret that to mean the top card chosen is going to give us a double dose of its medicine or we should pay particular attention to the lessons it’s here to teach us.

As you can imagine, and as I’ve described before, Salmon is all about returning to the place of our creation. An excerpt from Medicine Cards*, by Jamie Sams and David Carson, states:

“Salmon medicine honors every encounter in life as a gathering of wisdom. It teaches that even when the flow of life seems to push you back, you can tap into the hidden resources of your human spirit and personal inner knowing.”

Well, I definitely felt like I was being pushed back in a variety of ways today. Just running into unexpected obstacles, making it impossible for me to complete the tasks I’d written in my ‘to-do’ list.

It’s probably a blessing I’m being reminded now that I chose Salmon2 today. My frustration eases when I recall Salmon’s message. Funny how I forgot.

“The proper use of inner knowing comes when you flow with your authentic feelings, embracing all the experiences you encounter in life as learning lessons rather than hardships. Salmon teaches you to see every bend in the river as a new adventure, with a lesson you need to learn in order to grow.”

New Moon Coming

Later this week (Thursday) the moon will ‘go dark’ as a new moon. It might be a good idea for all of us to evaluate how we’re approaching this fall season of 2020 and ask ourselves if we want to plant some new seeds, some fresh intentions regarding what we want to create in our lives.

I know I’ll be starting something new. Perhaps you’ll join me. Stay tuned.

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(T-439)

Another Perfect Pick – Day 619

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Ocean Oracle – Fog/Stillness – Photo: L. Weikel

Another Perfect Pick

I don’t know about you, but between the relentless heat and mugginess that’s blanketing us (if you live on the East Coast of the U.S.) and the relentless and increasingly horrifying events unfolding in our country on a daily basis, I feel like I’ve reached my saturation point. So when I asked the Ocean Oracle (by Susan Marte) for a fresh message we could all hold as a new Point of Focus, I chose what feels like another perfect pick (PP).

As can be seen from the photo above, I chose Fog – Stillness.

Why do I feel this is a PP? Because I am finding it increasingly difficult to continue ‘going with the Flow.’ Don’t get me wrong. There’s no doubt that keeping Flow as a Point of Focus in my daily life has served me well. And it’s not even as though I intend to just throw Flow out the window.

No. If I sense Flow is an appropriate response to a particular situation or stimulus, I will continue to embrace its wisdom. (And I have to mention, Karl and I were amazed at how often, since I chose that card for our collective contemplation, the word flow has shown up in the Medicine Cards* I’ve been selecting on my day, as well as tarot cards I’ve been consistently choosing in our early evening walks.

I’ve been receiving, “Flow, flow, flow” over and over again. So yes, this message has been received and reinforced.

Recent Escalations

And if you’ve been joining me each day or at least mostly keeping up, you know that the guidance we’ve been receiving from other oracles (The Crone Tarot, by Ellen Lorenzi-Prince for instance) has also been pretty consistently advising to come together to recall wholeness, goodness and caring.

While I can only speak for myself, and I probably need to bear in mind that I’m still a bit sleep-deprived, I feel it’s important to acknowledge that making the conscious choice to remain in the flow, and do our best to heed the call to encourage wholeness and goodness while in the midst of a pandemic – is no small feat. While it sounds relaxing and easy, it’s actually a lot of work.

Yes, we can do our best avoid getting caught up in (or snagged) by the rocks and branches we encounter every day, the fact remains that it takes a lot of energy to keep our heads above water. And over the past couple of days, I started to question just how much more ‘flow’ I’d be able to manage.

Photo: L. Weikel

Dearly Needed Respite

And so it was with a huge sense of relief that I chose the Fog card this evening. Stillness. It feels like the perfect message for me in this moment, and I trust it will offer you some welcome permission to be still too.

I want to share what the guidebook offers:

“The Story

She sat in the hollow, surrounded by fog. She didn’t know which way she had come, or which way to go. The vapour was tangible, but her direction was not. She wasn’t scared – the veil of fog felt safe. She had never realized the stillness of fog, the cloak of silence it offered. She was in her own little world, fully present to herself, yet removed from that which was ‘out there.’ It was a chance to just be – to be in that stillness. She didn’t feel the desire to venture forth without direction. She was happy to have this time to be by herself, hidden from view. She felt this fog was the earth’s way of surrounding her by the nurturing embrace of water, without drowning her. She knew she was strong enough to rely on herself and her intuition, away from the watchful gaze of others. She had faith that when the fog lifted, she would be in the perfect place – in the place she was meant to be.

The Messages

What are you hiding from? What is hidden from view? What is visible? What is invisible? Trust that what you need to see is either right in front of you, or will soon present itself. Focus fully on your self. In the busy-ness of the world, take time to be still, to recharge yourself and recalibrate your bearings. Allow stillness to envelop you and be present to the gifts it offers. Use the cloak of protection stillness provides, to stretch into who you are. Walk the path of your instinct – it will lead you in the right direction. Even when feeling alone or isolated, know that you are completely supported by the universe. She is keeping you safe in your sacred place.”

My Take

The bottom line of guidance I receive from this new Point of Focus is that it is ok for us to step out of the flow and take cover. Wrap ourselves in the cloak of invisibility that Fog provides us and rest in the Stillness.

Before we take a stand or make any decisions about how to react to anything that may be happening in the outside world, the perfect response in this moment is to step back. Recharge. Recalibrate.

Indeed, when we remember that, in addition to witnessing armed troops being deployed by a fanatic to manhandle and essentially kidnap fellow citizens in specifically targeted Democratic cities (nakedly politically motivated by our own president) we are in the midst of a pandemic that is exploding in our country – seems to me the most comforting thing we can do in this moment is cloak ourselves and rest up.

Definitely another ‘Perfect Pick.’

We need to gather our strength for the coming storm. But for now: We must practice Stillness, my friends. Wrap ourselves in a Fog that holds and hides us and permitting us to safely gather our strength and wits for what’s to come.

We need to hide in the mists – Photo: L. Weikel

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