Fostering Inner Strength

The card of the day is Power and embedded is the message of finding peace and inner strength. 

The power is not related to the physical but to inner strength. Ask yourself today ‘How can I build my inner strength?’, ‘How can I foster resilience, courage, determination and acceptance of what is?’ Not what is gone or what is yet to be. When I draw this card, I know I need to dig deep and find a way to be balanced so I can tackle whatever life throws at me. If you want to foster mental strength you need to find balance; mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically. Try:

Grounding: 

When: your physical energy is low or if you are feeling mentally cluttered (aka I can't get my mind to shut up). 

What to do: Go outside and be in nature; the beach, a park, your backyard, anywhere natural. 

Why: In doing so, you will find mental peace through the stillness and calm found in the natural rhythms of earth. Better yet take off your shoes and soak up the earth's natural healing properties, this counteracts harmful waves from electronics. Breathing in fresh air and being outdoors naturally livens our energy and restores a sense of wellness to us.

Tuning in:

When: Feeling into strong emotions: when your world is rocking, stop 🛑 

What to do: Close your eyes, feel where you are feeling this pain in your body, start to breath into this space. Does it have a colour? Does it have a temperature? Is it hot or cold? What shape is it? Continue to breath, name this emotion... sadness, grief, irritation, disappointment, fear... keep breathing, eventually you will find slowly but surely the feeling dissipates. 

Why: Feeling into emotions helps you to recognise when your emotions and mind are overrunning you. By taking the time to be with them you are self-healing and self-calming through what could otherwise be a very painful moment with no release. Bottled up emotions can lead to explosions and a toxic internalisation which will manifest in our lives one way or another... doesn't sound fun does it! Give yourself the time and attention you deserve!

Self-care (a favourite):

When: Anytime you feel weak physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.

What to do: Put the kettle on, make yourself a cup of tea, read a trashy/ non-trashy novel (I prefer the former), run a bath, exercise (even if you can only manage a walk, or yoga), eat something healthy and nourishing, listen to your favourite music, spend time with a pet, meditate. Do anything that brings you joy. If you are a parent reading this thinking how can I find time, make time, get up a little earlier when you can, ask for help, set bed time a little earlier. You are worth it... you deserve it!

Why: If you do not filly up your own bucket with love and care, you certainly will not be able to have inner strength when times get tough. A little time for you now creates calm and inner strength tenfold for when difficult situations arise.  

I hope these suggestions help you to foster a deep inner strength which I know we are all capable of having. 

Thanks for reading, 

The Spiritual Novice 

Beginner's Guide to Tarot

A love of tarot begins

One of the first places I started to connect to spirit was through the amazing world of tarot. I remember quite literally freaking out when a card so connected to my question or current life situation would seemingly magically appear or repeatedly turn up in readings. At first, it truly did shock me, I was in awe of this mystical connection, some sort of magic that I hadn't previously connected to. What was this mystical phenomenon? I mean I'm sure we have all had eerie experiences; that friend you were chatting about that you haven't seen for ages who suddenly bumps into you on the street, the book you flick through which lands on the exact page you were searching for, yet somehow this direct, immediate connection is what really solidified the truth for me. There is something greater out there than us. With that, I would like to share with you how to use tarot and my hope is that it brings to you the comfort, guidance and empowerment that it has brought me.

Choosing a deck

There are so many decks available these days, so many that it can be a little daunting choosing which one feels right for you. Most decks aim to give guidance, but in my recent years I have discovered powerful decks which offer healing and spiritual teaching. If you are in the market for a beginner's deck I would recommend 'The psychic tarot - oracle deck' by John Holland. This deck was my very fist deck I ever owned seven years ago and still to this day I use it on a regular basis. Based on the traditional tarot deck it includes major arcana cards which offer the strongest messages and four suit representing card sets; physical (pentacles suit), spiritual (wands suit), mental (swords suit) and emotional, (cups suit). The deck further includes chakra cards which can be useful to use to align yourself when you are out of balance in life. What I love about Holland's deck is the simple and positive messages he uses, unlike with traditional tarot which can feel a little doom and gloom, the messages are delivered in a gentle way and offer suggestions to overcome adverse situations in life. Most bookstores and many online stores sell tarot cards, read over the description once or twice and see if the picture displayed speaks to you. To find a deck that is right for you go with your gut instinct. Which deck are you drawn to, which deck speaks to you? Choose that deck.

How to perform a tarot reading

There is no right or wrong way to read tarot, but it is important to protect yourself when performing a reading. I like to always start by grounding myself and asking for protection. Before a reading, I will imagine roots coming from my base chakra (located at the bottom of your tailbone) or feet growing and deeply connecting to the earth, grounding you and protecting you. Following this, I ask to receive only messages which come to the light to come to me and visualise a white or purple light enveloping me and shielding me from any lower level or heavy energies. If you feel connected to angelic energy you can ask archangel Michael for his protection at this time.

Next, take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to clear your mind. When you pick up the tarot cards you can gently knock on them to clear energy, place your hand over them and visualise white light clearing them or use a smudge stick to cleanse them when you feel the need. After this, shuffle and ask for general guidance or ask a specific question. You can either stop and draw a card when you feel the urge or stop shuffling, cut the deck as many times as you feel is right, choose a smaller deck from the ones you cut and spread, finally select card/s using your left hand going to whichever card you feel drawn to.

Simple spreads

Some of my favourite spreads include:

•  Asking a single question and pulling 1-3 cards for guidance.
•  Past, present and future spread; first choose present and place in the centre, then past and place to the left of present and finally future and place to the right of present.
• Situation, advice and protentional outcome; place in order as listed.

Important dos and don'ts of Tarot reading

• Try when possible to read when you are emotionally calm as strong emotions can sway readings.   
• Don't overread a question (admittedly I have been guilty of this) when you are not getting the message you wish to receive, this will give you an altered message. When things seem off track in a reading often time will give clarity and shed light on what seems like a strange, unrelatable message.
• Be patient. If you truly feel off track in a reading put the deck away and come back again in a day or two.
• Tarot is not about fortune telling! What is true on the given day of a reading may change in the future. Tarot is meant to guide us, not to be a be all and end all for future predictions. It guides us and gives gentle advice for the future, tarot is not an absolute. Take guidance but don't feel trapped by a reading. 
• Have fun with it; sometimes it will take a bit of practise before you feel connected to your deck and more importantly your intuition so don't feel bad if at first you feel a little odd while reading your cards.

Thank-you for taking the time to read this post, I hope this article inspires you to pick up a deck and tap into your own connection with spirt! I would love to hear about your own experiences with Tarot and answer any questions you have!

Sending light and happiness your way, 

The Spiritual Novice