Monday Musings 15 July 2019

This week's Monday Musings are brought to you by the second summer addition to my tarot library, the Herbcrafter's Tarot, from Latisha Guthrie and Joanna Powell Colbert. It's an intriguing deck, with daughters, warriors, mothers, and healers replacing the more familiar court cards of page, knight, queen and king. The suits are air, earth, fire, and water; which easily relate to the usual swords, pentacles, wands, and cups of the Rider Waite tarot. I find the deck intriguing, and I'm looking forward to getting to know it better. There is much here that resonates with my journey deeper into smudge and smudging, and I like the way things are evolving. 

​​So, what will this week bring to you? Monthly forecast? Weekly forecast? Daily forecast? It's up to you, you know the drill! Pick the one that calls to you, then read the reveal in the comments for a mini-reading for the week ahead, or read them all as a story-telling spread. Your reading, Your call. I'm just the messenger.. I'm still offering private readings, too, so if you want to know a little more about what the universe has in store for you, hit me up. "I'm here to help."

Ace of Water, Plantain: 
No, this is not the plantain you see in the produce section of the grocery store. This is the garden weed, and one that I actually welcome in my lawn. The young leaves are edible and the seeds can be ground into a flour to add protein and vitamins to pancakes and other culinary delights. The leaves take the itch out of bug bites and the smoke from the leaves is soothing for bronchial ailments.  If this is your card for the week, it is asking you to slow down to the speed of life, and pay attention to what ails you. This may be a physical discomfort, an emotional burden, or a worry that you cannot seem to shake, Whatever it is, if it is standing in your way of wholeness, it is time—as my smudge pots advocate—to let that shit go. Nourish your soul and trust your own innate wisdom. You know more than you think you do. The solution always sleeps in the same bed as the problem. Quieten your mind and open your heart; plantain reminds you that you already have the answer. 

Adelita of Water, Ocotillo: 
I admit it, I'd not heard of this one—but then it is a native to Arizona and I've never been there! Ocotillo lays fairly dormant until waterfall and then bursts forth with life. It's a master at conserving water, and a magnet for hummingbirds and other wildlife. If you chose this as your weekly message, it's telling you to pay attention to your emotions. There is a lot of emphasis on diet these days, but diet isn't just about the food you eat. It is also what you absorb from the media, from your environment, and from the people in your life. Ocotillo is asking you to reflect on where you feel emotional imbalance and see if you can find the root of it, so that you can bring that out into the open and find your center and your wholeness once more.  You cannot control what other people do but you can control your response to their actions. There's a big difference between a reaction and a response;  Ocotillo reminds you that learning how to respond from your authentic self is the real secret to mastering your life. 

Ace of Air, Yarrow:
I adore yarrow and have a yarden full of it! Mostly white, but there is some pale pink and some yellow in there, too. Yarrow has a long history associated with folklore and herbcrafting, and it is said to be ruled by Venus and associated with the element of water. If you selected yarrow as your card then the message for the upcoming week is to pick your battles carefully. Not everything is as important as you might think. Know when to stand and fight, and when to just shrug your shoulders and move along. Use discernment carefully, and make sure that you have all the facts before you act, for there may be some innocent false information around you, perhaps even some deception. Again, your heart knows the answers, but perhaps you don't trust your judgement or you're up against some obstacles who are trying to steal your confidence. Yarrow is a powerful ally when it comes to growth and personal evolution. Follow your truth, starting with what you already know, then gently push yourself out of your comfort zone.