Sacred Days of Autumn Equinox - September 18 - 29
Posted: 18 Sep 2018, 19:14
And here I am with the Wildwood Tarot. I'm drawing physical cards but will post pictures from the app as they are better quality and smaller than my phone camera
Day 1 18.9. Ludi magni games - Roman games in honour of the god Jupiter, celebrated with circus performances. This card reflects the spirit of celebration in your life, and how you can bring more joy and playfulness to yourself and others.
The Mirror - a portentous opener. The Mirror's position on the Wheel is the Autumn Equinox. The healing Isle of Avalon is in the background and in the foreground the 'dark woman of knowledge' holds the mirror to aid inner reflection and the orb of seeing to illuminate the shadows. This does not seem to be very playful or celebratory on the face of it but there is something here about taking a break from the hustle and bustle and pushing on with the plans. Contemplation, shadow work and inner reflection can be serious and difficult stuff but it doesnt have to be. Tuning into our heart and soul, letting them breathe and mend a bit, day dreaming, expressing ourselves creatively, letting our imaginations run and immersing ourselves in myths and stories can also be revealing of deep personal truths as well as be joyful activities. I will read my son bedtime stories with gusto and drama and reflect within on the archetypes and lessons.
Day 2 19.9. Day of Our Lady of La Salette - an apparition of the Christian Mother of God/Holy Virgin. She brings message of hope to humanity. Where is your personal source of hope and spirituality?
The Green Woman - my spirituality is rooted in the divine feminine and the earth. The Great Mother, goddess of the land and female solar energy. As I have just started on my druid path, this is a wonderful card to draw at this position and it feels right.
Day 3 20.9. Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Sea - This card asks you to address your fears and shadows before the winter comes, like the Inuit did in their Sedna festival.
Queen of Arrows - Swan - for me this reveals a fear of loss, of separation and of being faced with hard to hear truths. As an introvert I have a deep and rich inner world and don't naturally seek out connections with others. However, I realise that a connection with people and in particular spiritual connection is something that I fundamentally need. This card suggests to me the need for a more open and honest engagement with people that share my spiritual values and an active seeking out of help and support on my path. And also to tackle my fear of hearing truths that I may find uncomfortable.
Day 4 21.9. Eleusinia - an ancient Greek holiday, commemorating Demeter and Persephone. She has to leave the world of of growth and abundance and descend to the realm of death. This card reflects grief, sadness and the traces of tears in your life. Acknowledge and honour them.
Nine of Arrows - Dedication - a melancholy figure is using her arrows to play her bow, not as the weapons they are designed to be. I feel she has seen too much conflict and the pain and hurt that results in. She has dedicated herself to a better path. The book describes her as a spiritual warrior. And what the world needs now from spiritual warriors in a dedication to peace and ethical ways of living that preserve nature not destroy it. The rate at which we are driving other living beings to extinction and polluting our own habitat is sad indeed. I do grieve for what we have lost. But this card is hopeful too and dedication that comes out of this of this nightmare, to a spiritual and peaceful purpose, might be what saves us.
Day 5 22.9. Rosh HaShana - beginning of the Jewish New Year. It's a Jewish custom to send greetings and good wishes to people in your life. Use this day to focus on the people who are important to you, what you can do to strengthen your ties to them, and contact at least one person you have neglected lately.
The Wanderer - I haven't been the best friend or family member over the years in terms of keeping in touch. I could and do feel guilty about that but the wanderer advises leaving behind the guilt and baggage of the past and open up to a new set of possibilities with a new spirit and unencumbered outlook. Time to turn over a new leaf and not let my past record taint that.
Day 6 23.9. Autumn Solstice - Libra - Mabon - the day of perfect equilibrium. A day for two cards. What is growing in your life, what is decreasing? This two-card reading reflects the balance of your energies and, if there is imbalance, what you need to address.
Ace of Stones ~ The Foundation of Life and Ten of Arrows ~ Instruction - yesterday I had a magical experience outdoors celebrating Autumn Equinox in druidic style and focussing on manifesting our wishes for the coming season. This is the growth part of my life - a deep spiritual growth that I have been building up to for some time. What I feel very conscious of that needs attention is how I give my son that clear sense of there being so more to life both in the apparent world and in spiritual realms than Youtube videos and sweets. These cards are extremely relevant to my experience yesterday.
Day 7 24.9. Brazil holiday of Maiso, mother goddess - what is the role of your mother in your life, how do you mother yourself/father yourself? Reflect on the maternal/paternal archetypes within yourself, and how you can make them work for you, not against you.
King of Bows - The Adder - as the King of Wands there are very strong themes here of leadership, individual style, personal power, maturity, energy, creativity and wisdom. It's a very male card so how do I read this? Well I am a mother and perhaps this card reflects the other aspect of my life where the best mothering I can give myself is embrace this King energy. My own mother is lovely and I treasure her. She has never been a particularly demonstrative mother and I was never coddled or smothered. But I do know she is incredibly proud of who I am and what I have achieved. So I think this card is about empowerment.
Day 8 25.9. Greek holiday Pyanopsia - Thanksgiving for the fruits of the sun. Wind white or purple wool around a laurel or olive branch, and hang or arrange fruit around it. These don't have to be actual fruit - you can write on a paper things that you are grateful for. What is the fruit of your past action, ripening now?
The Great Bear - I've been through a lot of personal change recently, I guess you could call it somewhat of a personal transformation and a kind of waking up. I believe I sowed these seeds a long time ago but it is just recently that I assessed myself and my spiritual practive, found many aspects lacking and proactively made the changes. I am grateful for the ability to be honest and forgiving with myself and for recognising a whole new person was in there ready to emerge.
Day 9 26.9. Holiday of Neptune - This is a card about anger and anger management. Contemplate about how you deal with negative feelings. Is there a way to tranform negative energies into positive ones, making your anger pull your carriage and drive you on?
Five of Vessels - this is a total surrender to a spiritual experience that embues the being with sheer ecstasy. Like sufi dancing or shamanix drumming, its primal and transcendental. How relevant today as I am frankly furious. I dont think I'll be whirling round my living room as a therapy but I plan to do some meditation in the morning on turning around and channelling my anger into something constructive. I have a couple of meditations to do that are very powerful so seems like a good time to really immerse myself.
Day 10 27.9. Vendémiaire - month of the grape harvest in the French revolutionary calendar month. Raise your glass to your big and small achievements in the last year, either with wine or grape juice, and enjoy your success.
Ace of Vessels - Water of Life - well here I think we have the perfect goblet of the most precious of watery elements and the essence of our humanity, our emotional capacity in all its glory and complexity. My emotional landscape has been extremely messy lately but I'm going to take the opportunity to celebrate that because being able to express ourselves emotionaĺly is in itself a very positive thing. No good ever came from repression that's for sure!
Day 11 28.9. Maha Navami - a Hindu holiday celebrating goddess Durga's victory over a demon. Part of the celebrations is chanting. Reflect on a victory you want to win over the next three months, and devise a chant for it. Write it down where you can see it and envision the joy you will feel when you reach this goal.
Eight of Arrows- Struggle - this week has been such a hard one. My son, only five has been in trouble 3 times this week for fighting at school and work has been very stressful. I think I am in for some bumpy times ahead so victory for me would be finding the inner source of courage and wisdom to face these life challenges and meet them well.
Day 12 29.9. Meditrinalia - an ancient Greek holiday honoring the goddess of healing. Think about your healing process and how you can continue it. Where do you draw strength from? How can you heal and nurture yourself in the future? Pamper yourself today and close these twelve days of introspection with healing thoughts.
Five of Bows - Empowerment - this card today effectively continues from yesterday's card, which was all about struggle and the victories being facing the struggles with courage and wisdom. Struggles are exhausting and constant drawing on inner reserves is depleting. Thinking about the healing process, this card is again about the inner landscape and the role of self confidence, positive mindset, channelling my energies and staying grounded. As I start to love through my Bardic studies I realise how my inner sacred grove, conjured from my imagination, can play a key role in my empowerment and healing. So the answer to how I can pamper myself? Meditation. It's the best gift I can give myself.
Day 1 18.9. Ludi magni games - Roman games in honour of the god Jupiter, celebrated with circus performances. This card reflects the spirit of celebration in your life, and how you can bring more joy and playfulness to yourself and others.
The Mirror - a portentous opener. The Mirror's position on the Wheel is the Autumn Equinox. The healing Isle of Avalon is in the background and in the foreground the 'dark woman of knowledge' holds the mirror to aid inner reflection and the orb of seeing to illuminate the shadows. This does not seem to be very playful or celebratory on the face of it but there is something here about taking a break from the hustle and bustle and pushing on with the plans. Contemplation, shadow work and inner reflection can be serious and difficult stuff but it doesnt have to be. Tuning into our heart and soul, letting them breathe and mend a bit, day dreaming, expressing ourselves creatively, letting our imaginations run and immersing ourselves in myths and stories can also be revealing of deep personal truths as well as be joyful activities. I will read my son bedtime stories with gusto and drama and reflect within on the archetypes and lessons.
Day 2 19.9. Day of Our Lady of La Salette - an apparition of the Christian Mother of God/Holy Virgin. She brings message of hope to humanity. Where is your personal source of hope and spirituality?
The Green Woman - my spirituality is rooted in the divine feminine and the earth. The Great Mother, goddess of the land and female solar energy. As I have just started on my druid path, this is a wonderful card to draw at this position and it feels right.
Day 3 20.9. Sedna, Inuit Goddess of the Sea - This card asks you to address your fears and shadows before the winter comes, like the Inuit did in their Sedna festival.
Queen of Arrows - Swan - for me this reveals a fear of loss, of separation and of being faced with hard to hear truths. As an introvert I have a deep and rich inner world and don't naturally seek out connections with others. However, I realise that a connection with people and in particular spiritual connection is something that I fundamentally need. This card suggests to me the need for a more open and honest engagement with people that share my spiritual values and an active seeking out of help and support on my path. And also to tackle my fear of hearing truths that I may find uncomfortable.
Day 4 21.9. Eleusinia - an ancient Greek holiday, commemorating Demeter and Persephone. She has to leave the world of of growth and abundance and descend to the realm of death. This card reflects grief, sadness and the traces of tears in your life. Acknowledge and honour them.
Nine of Arrows - Dedication - a melancholy figure is using her arrows to play her bow, not as the weapons they are designed to be. I feel she has seen too much conflict and the pain and hurt that results in. She has dedicated herself to a better path. The book describes her as a spiritual warrior. And what the world needs now from spiritual warriors in a dedication to peace and ethical ways of living that preserve nature not destroy it. The rate at which we are driving other living beings to extinction and polluting our own habitat is sad indeed. I do grieve for what we have lost. But this card is hopeful too and dedication that comes out of this of this nightmare, to a spiritual and peaceful purpose, might be what saves us.
Day 5 22.9. Rosh HaShana - beginning of the Jewish New Year. It's a Jewish custom to send greetings and good wishes to people in your life. Use this day to focus on the people who are important to you, what you can do to strengthen your ties to them, and contact at least one person you have neglected lately.
The Wanderer - I haven't been the best friend or family member over the years in terms of keeping in touch. I could and do feel guilty about that but the wanderer advises leaving behind the guilt and baggage of the past and open up to a new set of possibilities with a new spirit and unencumbered outlook. Time to turn over a new leaf and not let my past record taint that.
Day 6 23.9. Autumn Solstice - Libra - Mabon - the day of perfect equilibrium. A day for two cards. What is growing in your life, what is decreasing? This two-card reading reflects the balance of your energies and, if there is imbalance, what you need to address.
Ace of Stones ~ The Foundation of Life and Ten of Arrows ~ Instruction - yesterday I had a magical experience outdoors celebrating Autumn Equinox in druidic style and focussing on manifesting our wishes for the coming season. This is the growth part of my life - a deep spiritual growth that I have been building up to for some time. What I feel very conscious of that needs attention is how I give my son that clear sense of there being so more to life both in the apparent world and in spiritual realms than Youtube videos and sweets. These cards are extremely relevant to my experience yesterday.
Day 7 24.9. Brazil holiday of Maiso, mother goddess - what is the role of your mother in your life, how do you mother yourself/father yourself? Reflect on the maternal/paternal archetypes within yourself, and how you can make them work for you, not against you.
King of Bows - The Adder - as the King of Wands there are very strong themes here of leadership, individual style, personal power, maturity, energy, creativity and wisdom. It's a very male card so how do I read this? Well I am a mother and perhaps this card reflects the other aspect of my life where the best mothering I can give myself is embrace this King energy. My own mother is lovely and I treasure her. She has never been a particularly demonstrative mother and I was never coddled or smothered. But I do know she is incredibly proud of who I am and what I have achieved. So I think this card is about empowerment.
Day 8 25.9. Greek holiday Pyanopsia - Thanksgiving for the fruits of the sun. Wind white or purple wool around a laurel or olive branch, and hang or arrange fruit around it. These don't have to be actual fruit - you can write on a paper things that you are grateful for. What is the fruit of your past action, ripening now?
The Great Bear - I've been through a lot of personal change recently, I guess you could call it somewhat of a personal transformation and a kind of waking up. I believe I sowed these seeds a long time ago but it is just recently that I assessed myself and my spiritual practive, found many aspects lacking and proactively made the changes. I am grateful for the ability to be honest and forgiving with myself and for recognising a whole new person was in there ready to emerge.
Day 9 26.9. Holiday of Neptune - This is a card about anger and anger management. Contemplate about how you deal with negative feelings. Is there a way to tranform negative energies into positive ones, making your anger pull your carriage and drive you on?
Five of Vessels - this is a total surrender to a spiritual experience that embues the being with sheer ecstasy. Like sufi dancing or shamanix drumming, its primal and transcendental. How relevant today as I am frankly furious. I dont think I'll be whirling round my living room as a therapy but I plan to do some meditation in the morning on turning around and channelling my anger into something constructive. I have a couple of meditations to do that are very powerful so seems like a good time to really immerse myself.
Day 10 27.9. Vendémiaire - month of the grape harvest in the French revolutionary calendar month. Raise your glass to your big and small achievements in the last year, either with wine or grape juice, and enjoy your success.
Ace of Vessels - Water of Life - well here I think we have the perfect goblet of the most precious of watery elements and the essence of our humanity, our emotional capacity in all its glory and complexity. My emotional landscape has been extremely messy lately but I'm going to take the opportunity to celebrate that because being able to express ourselves emotionaĺly is in itself a very positive thing. No good ever came from repression that's for sure!
Day 11 28.9. Maha Navami - a Hindu holiday celebrating goddess Durga's victory over a demon. Part of the celebrations is chanting. Reflect on a victory you want to win over the next three months, and devise a chant for it. Write it down where you can see it and envision the joy you will feel when you reach this goal.
Eight of Arrows- Struggle - this week has been such a hard one. My son, only five has been in trouble 3 times this week for fighting at school and work has been very stressful. I think I am in for some bumpy times ahead so victory for me would be finding the inner source of courage and wisdom to face these life challenges and meet them well.
Day 12 29.9. Meditrinalia - an ancient Greek holiday honoring the goddess of healing. Think about your healing process and how you can continue it. Where do you draw strength from? How can you heal and nurture yourself in the future? Pamper yourself today and close these twelve days of introspection with healing thoughts.
Five of Bows - Empowerment - this card today effectively continues from yesterday's card, which was all about struggle and the victories being facing the struggles with courage and wisdom. Struggles are exhausting and constant drawing on inner reserves is depleting. Thinking about the healing process, this card is again about the inner landscape and the role of self confidence, positive mindset, channelling my energies and staying grounded. As I start to love through my Bardic studies I realise how my inner sacred grove, conjured from my imagination, can play a key role in my empowerment and healing. So the answer to how I can pamper myself? Meditation. It's the best gift I can give myself.