Sacred Days: Joan Marie

[Joan Marie]

Just trying to prepare for this exercise.

I don't know yet what deck I'll use for sure but I'm sort of leaning toward Button Soup. It just feels kind of right for this.

In any case, I'm really looking forward to this. These 4-corner of the Year readings are always very powerful for me. Really insightful and really help me to connect to and experience in a real way the change of season.

(for the full description, go here: viewtopic.php?f=264&t=2496 )

The Sacred Days of Vernal Equinox Spread:

Day 1: 15.3. Cybele and Attis Festival - Today is the first day of week-long celebration of Cybele, the great Mother Goddess, and her youthful consort Attis. Today's card talks about love and eros in your life, and how you can celebrate them.

Day 2: 16.3. Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem - Today begins the Zoroastrian Holiday Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem, celebrating the life cycle of human beings, from creation to death, and the presence of angels. Today's card connects you to your own path in life and the angel/power/energy that protects you.

Day 3: 17.3. Liberalia - On this day, the Romans celebrated the Liberalia festival of freedom. Today's card tells you how you use your freedom and encourages you to be really free of bonds that limit your personality, talents and longings. What are the bonds you have to break to be free?

Day 4: 18.3. Ugadi - The Hindu holiday Ugadi is celebrated in some parts of India as New Year. Its traditional food represents the different tastes: sour, salty, sweet and bitter. Today's card shows you how to balance the flavours in your life, to be able to enjoy it to the fullest in the months ahead. How can make you make your life more flavourful and enjoyable?

Day 5: 19.3. Minerva Day - Minerva/Athene is the Roman/Greek goddess of intelligence, rational thinking and objectivity. Today's card asks you how you use your intelligence and talents, whether you give them the proper place or whether you feel you have undeveloped potential. What can you do to make the best use of your mental powers and intelligence?


Day 6: 20.3. Spring/Vernal Equinox - This is the day of balance between day and night, when new things grow and push through the earth, when Kore/Persephone returns from the underworld and brings flowers with her. Today's card calls you to contemplate on creativity and renewal in your own life. Where do you resist change, and where should you embrace it?

For Southern Hemisphere tarotists who experience Autumn: what are the wilting things and feelings in my life that I should let go?

Day 7: 21.3. Harmony Day - In Australia, Harmony Day celebrates inclusiveness and acceptance. Today's card asks you to probe your own hidden prejudices, and what you can do to become more open and tolerant. Challenge yourself to inform yourself and get to know cultures, topics or people that until held irrational negative associations for you. How can you become an ambassador for inclusiveness and harmony in your society and immediate surrounding?

Day 8: 22.3. Eostre/Ostara - The Germanic goddess of spring is celebrated with eggs, rabbits and the ringing of bells. Today's card reminds you of a bell ringing in your life, a bell that calls you forward and that you didn't heed or overhear until now. Understand what this bell wants to tell you, and in the coming month, try to make its voice heard.

Day 9: 23.3. Hilaria = The Roman holiday of Hilaria celebrates laughter and fun. Today's card throws a light on the place light-hearted fun and humour have in your life. Do you laugh often enough? The card challenges you to find things that make you laugh and forget your worries, and do them regularly from now on.

Day 10: 24.3. Earth Hour - On this international day, people stop to think about the environment and the use we make of it. Are you doing all you can to keep and preserve this earth? Today's card asks you to find your own connection to the Earth you live on, whether through environment awareness or the voice of your spiritual tradition. How are you connected to this Earth and how can you honour it?

Day 11: 25.3. The Annunciation - The Christian holiday celebrates peace, hope and new beginnings. Today's card shows you where you have to make peace - with memories, people in your life or other painful matters. Let them go and don't beat yourself up any more.

Day 12: 26.3. Preparation of the Temple of Luna - On the final day of our 12 days, we prepare for the annual Roman festival in the Temple of Luna, the Moon goddess. Today's card tells you how you can become more attuned to the intuitive, quiet side within you, how you can make your spiritual work more meaningful, and how to integrate your shadow into your life. It's the message of the Moon for the spring days ahead while the influence of the Sun is rising.

[Joan Marie]

Day 1: 15.3. Cybele and Attis Festival - Today is the first day of week-long celebration of Cybele, the great Mother Goddess, and her youthful consort Attis. Today's card talks about love and eros in your life, and how you can celebrate them.


I'm so excited to be starting this 12-day reading. The end is only 12-days away but I always feel like I've traveled so far by the time I get there.

Starting the Spring reading on the topic of love and eros seems right. And with Cybele the goddess of primal nature!

9 of Cups

This card was created by Julianne Victoria and is all about abundance. Here is what she wrote in the l'il white book:

The tables are set and overflowing with an abundance of fruit. It's a grand harvest, the celebratory stage of a cycle that brings material and emotional happiness and satisfaction.

That's kind of an autumn idea, harvest, however, I can see how this fits well for me.
It's a reflection of my happy home life. The life I've built. It wasn't always like this. The love and eros I celebrate today is the result of a life's work, a harvest of sorts.

So this works for me on the first day of a welcoming to spring. And the table is set for a celebration.

Today I am setting up my little "green-house" that I use to start my tomatoes and other things that I grow in the summer. This card also portends to the eventual harvest.

Nice start!

[Nemia]

I'm here in time for this reading (I did those I missed here on my own), and my brand new Ostara Tarot that was especially bought for this time will accompany me.

Day 1: 15.3. Cybele and Attis Festival

Today is the first day of week-long celebration of Cybele, the great Mother Goddess, and her youthful consort Attis. Today's card talks about love and eros in your life, and how you can celebrate them.

The first day of the most wonderful celebration of the incoming new astrological year, the first time I drew a card from my wonderful new Ostara Tarot - and it's the Wheel of Fortune! The Three Fates whom I loved already as a child.

Change, wheels, ups and downs ... I have certainly have had more than enough of them. But when I look at the topic of the day, Cybele and Attis, great love and eros, then I have to be grateful for the love in my life that has been unchanged and life-giving.

What an overwhelmingly meaningful card! I'll have to think about it a bit, take pictures and then go on. I'm also a bit overwhelmed being here again in this wonderful place.




Day 2: 16.3. Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem

Today begins the Zoroastrian Holiday Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem, celebrating the life cycle of human beings, from creation to death, and the presence of angels. Today's card connects you to your own path in life and the angel/power/energy that protects you.

Day 3: 17.3. Liberalia

On this day, the Romans celebrated the Liberalia festival of freedom. Today's card tells you how you use your freedom and encourages you to be really free of bonds that limit your personality, talents and longings. What are the bonds you have to break to be free?

Day 4: 18.3. Ugadi

The Hindu holiday Ugadi is celebrated in some parts of India as New Year. Its traditional food represents the different tastes: sour, salty, sweet and bitter. Today's card shows you how to balance the flavours in your life, to be able to enjoy it to the fullest in the months ahead. How can make you make your life more flavourful and enjoyable?

Day 5: 19.3. Eostre/Ostara

The Germanic goddess of spring is celebrated with eggs, rabbits and the ringing of bells. Today's card reminds you of a bell ringing in your life, a bell that calls you forward and that you didn't heed or overhear until now. Understand what this bell wants to tell you, and in the coming month, try to make its voice heard.

Day 6: 20.3. Spring/Vernal Equinox

This is the day of balance between day and night, when new things grow and push through the earth, when Kore/Persephone returns from the underworld and brings flowers with her. Today's card calls you to contemplate on creativity and renewal in your own life. Where do you resist change, and where should you embrace it?

For Southern Hemisphere tarotists who experience Autumn: what are the wilting things and feelings in my life that I should let go?

Day 7: 21.3. Harmony Day

In Australia, Harmony Day celebrates inclusiveness and acceptance. Today's card asks you to probe your own hidden prejudices, and what you can do to become more open and tolerant. Challenge yourself to inform yourself and get to know cultures, topics or people that until held irrational negative associations for you. How can you become an ambassador for inclusiveness and harmony in your society and immediate surrounding?

Day 8: 22.3. Minerva Day

Minerva/Athene is the Roman/Greek goddess of intelligence, rational thinking and objectivity. Today's card asks you how you use your intelligence and talents, whether you give them the proper place or whether you feel you have undeveloped potential. What can you do to make the best use of your mental powers and intelligence?

Day 9: 23.3. Hilaria

The Roman holiday of Hilaria celebrates laughter and fun. Today's card throws a light on the place light-hearted fun and humour have in your life. Do you laugh often enough? The card challenges you to find things that make you laugh and forget your worries, and do them regularly from now on.

Day 10: 24.3. Earth Hour

On this international day, people stop to think about the environment and the use we make of it. Are you doing all you can to keep and preserve this earth? Today's card asks you to find your own connection to the Earth you live on, whether through environment awareness or the voice of your spiritual tradition. How are you connected to this Earth and how can you honour it?

Day 11: 25.3. Palm Sunday

The Christian holiday of Palm Sunday celebrates peace, hope and new beginnings. Today's card shows you where you have to make peace - with memories, people in your life or other painful matters. Let them go and don't beat yourself up any more.

Day 12: 26.3. Preparation of the Temple of Luna

On the final day of our 12 days, we prepare for the annual Roman festival in the Temple of Luna, the Moon goddess. Today's card tells you how you can become more attuned to the intuitive, quiet side within you, how you can make your spiritual work more meaningful, and how to integrate your shadow into your life. It's the message of the Moon for the spring days ahead while the influence of the Sun is rising.

[Joan Marie]

What an overwhelmingly meaningful card! I'll have to think about it a bit, take pictures and then go on. I'm also a bit overwhelmed being here again in this wonderful place.

I'm so thrilled to see you here Nemia and so glad you are joining us for this.

We do this a teensy bit differently now, we each open a topic with our name and just add to that topic over the 12 days. I opened one for you and pasted this in. You can find it here: viewforum.php?f=264


Welcome back.

[Joan Marie]

Day 2: 16.3. Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem- Today begins the Zoroastrian Holiday Gahambar Hamaspathmaidyem, celebrating the life cycle of human beings, from creation to death, and the presence of angels. Today's card connects you to your own path in life and the angel/power/energy that protects you.

5 of Swords by Attila Blaga

In all honesty, I was not sure how to take this card when I drew it just now, in regards to today's theme. But Attila's description of it in the "l'il white book" helped a lot.

The Five of Swords does not care for the moral and social standards, does not follow the mainstream trends and will choose the uncharted path over the familiar highway. The more unconventional something is, more attracted they will be. They don’t like to follow the rules, but prefer to make up their own. The Five of Swords are spontaneous and highly creative, but their work might not be immediately understood and appreciated. They will have a great time trying to shock and enjoys provoking scandals.

Well, my scandal-provoking days are (largely) behind me, but I am grateful that I am being protected on this path of uncharted territory. I have made up my own rules a lot in my life, sometimes it worked out, sometimes not. But I have survived.

Funny though, I never think of my path in life this way but I can kind of see it now. When I re-read the first sentence here, about how I didn't relate to the card when I first drew it, it makes me think about how so often we don't see ourselves as we are. We all know we do this but I think we assume that we are deluding ourselves from our bad qualities. But I think not seeing our good ones, our own specialness is maybe more common. We cheat ourselves out of knowing our best selves. We hide behind narratives that are far less compelling than the truth!

That's pretty weird when I think about it.

I think we all feel misunderstood sometimes, like people don't "get" us, but what a surprise to learn we don't even "get" ourselves! And yes, I realise I am projecting this from "myself" onto everyone, but I do think this is something we all do.

I think we talked about this somewhere as it relates to shadow work, that sometimes what is revealed or uncovered or brought to the surface isn't something "dark" but something else, something deeply interesting about the character.

[Joan Marie]

Day 3: 17.3. Liberalia - On this day, the Romans celebrated the Liberalia festival of freedom. Today's card tells you how you use your freedom and encourages you to be really free of bonds that limit your personality, talents and longings. What are the bonds you have to break to be free?

Lovers!

Well, well, well. isn't this an interesting card to draw when the question is about breaking bonds?

I had a hard time at first with this because my home life is a very supportive atmosphere.

But maybe it isn't referring to a specific relationship but rather the concept. There is a tendency to define oneself by one's relationships, especially family relationships. And this kind of makes sense to me. That in order to really express myself, to break past my limits, I have to understand my own autonomy. I do feel like sometimes (often) I really care too much about what others in my family think, or would think if I was more open to them. A lot of people in my family, my siblings, are very judgemental and I tend to take that into consideration a lot, and I can see how that does limit me in how I express and present myself to them. And we think very differently on A LOT of things.

Some of my friends are also very judgemental, and I care about that too much.

This really is something I need to think about because I can see how muting parts of myself is limiting to me. At the same time I'm not too keen to get ripped to shreds either.

Breaking bonds doesn't have to mean cutting people out of my life. I don't really believe in doing that in most cases. But it can mean breaking an emotional bond that isn't healthy. And it doesn't mean I stop loving a person. I'm just not controlled by that love. I understand that their feelings are theirs and have nothing to do with me.

It's not an easy place to get to. And counter-intuitively, it requires more real love, pure love, on my part to get there.

[Joan Marie]

Day 4: 18.3. Ugadi - The Hindu holiday Ugadi is celebrated in some parts of India as New Year. Its traditional food represents the different tastes: sour, salty, sweet and bitter. Today's card shows you how to balance the flavours in your life, to be able to enjoy it to the fullest in the months ahead. How can make you make your life more flavourful and enjoyable?

Page of Swords by Kaylani Perisho

This is again, unexpected and thought provoking.
Firstly, "the months ahead" already look pretty strange and I think most advice would not befit the situation we are in, but this card calls on me to become active and to fight injustice (according to Kaylani's description in the "l'il white book".)

It also calls on me to find my own way of doing that. I think it is encouraging me to find my own voice in these troubled times. And to not shrink away from the challenges. I am very privileged in many ways and have an opportunity to use it, but I must use it thoughtfully in order to be effective.

Wonderful card!

[Joan Marie]

Day 5: 19.3. Minerva Day - Minerva/Athene is the Roman/Greek goddess of intelligence, rational thinking and objectivity. Today's card asks you how you use your intelligence and talents, whether you give them the proper place or whether you feel you have undeveloped potential. What can you do to make the best use of your mental powers and intelligence?

This is a really hard question.

10 of Pentacles by Pranic Room

The question is what can I do to make the most of my mental powers and intelligence and this card, all I see is, "put it to use."

But, how? I am decidedly not a nose to the grindstone person. Not that I don't work hard. I just have to find and respect my sense of timing. Forcing myself into patterns that don't fit me always leads to disappointment and failure.

And now I see more in this card. I'm seeing the odd and random pattern. I don't work in straight lines. So I think the answer to the question is to not try to fit some pattern that isn't me, to not discourage myself that way. But rather to go with my unique sensibility about things and not get stressed or feel pressured to alter that.

I need to really try that for a a while, to really trust myself and see if that doesn't bring better results.

[Joan Marie]

Somehow I got a day behind.
Time is seeming a bit stretchy and compressed these days.

So that's okay. I'll do two today and catch up.

Day 6: 20.3. Spring/Vernal Equinox - This is the day of balance between day and night, when new things grow and push through the earth, when Kore/Persephone returns from the underworld and brings flowers with her. Today's card calls you to contemplate on creativity and renewal in your own life. Where do you resist change, and where should you embrace it?

I drew 2 cards, one to indicate where I resist change and one for where I should embrace it. This is in regards to creativity and renewal

King of Pentacles

2 of Swords

This first card is filled with magical symbols of all kinds. And this is something I was thinking about earlier today. I think I need to go full in to some very strong urges I have had lately about exploring some very powerful...I'm not sure what to call it, instincts? Influences? Those words don't fit.

I'm being drawn very strongly in a direction I need to follow. A direction that will be a catalyst for my creativity, to let it bloom in a really powerful way.

The second card, Is telling me the same thing and to be honest, the way this question is worded feel to me like it is the same question twice. To me the word resist implies something I am fighting against and shouldn't. Otherwise it would just be refusing and not resisting.

So these two cards seem in agreement, telling me it's time to make a choice about a direction to follow. A direction that I have had in mind and that is becoming clearer and more compelling and that will open me up to a part of myself that has been suppressed.

[Joan Marie]

Day 7: 21.3. Harmony Day - In Australia, Harmony Day celebrates inclusiveness and acceptance. Today's card asks you to probe your own hidden prejudices, and what you can do to become more open and tolerant. Challenge yourself to inform yourself and get to know cultures, topics or people that until held irrational negative associations for you. How can you become an ambassador for inclusiveness and harmony in your society and immediate surrounding?

6 of Cups by Melissa Wotherspoon

Funny to draw this wintery scene for a Spring reading.
But the 5 of Cups is really a good fit for this topic.

How do I become an ambassador for inclusiveness and harmony?

It's as easy as just being kind.

Really the answer is to see the humanity of every person. That is actually harder. My own prejudices are not directed at groups but are more likely to be directed at individuals whose humanity I fail to see in a given moment. I think we all do that sometimes. It's how toilet paper hoarding can happen for example. General rudeness or impatience with strangers too, and distrust.

But the trick, is just take a breath, smile and be kind. The understanding will follow. It's like magic really.

[Joan Marie]

Day 8: 22.3. Eostre/Ostara - The Germanic goddess of spring is celebrated with eggs, rabbits and the ringing of bells. Today's card reminds you of a bell ringing in your life, a bell that calls you forward and that you didn't heed or overhear until now. Understand what this bell wants to tell you, and in the coming month, try to make its voice heard.

Knight of Cups by Pamela Steele

This card keeps on coming up for me, in every deck, every reading I do lately.

And there is a bell I have not heeded, or really even heard until recently and this card tells me that bell says it's time to dig deep within and bring what is hidden to the surface, allow my soul to be visible.
Get past the fear, the shyness, the reluctance to express. I have felt this bubbling below the surface for a long time.

This is the only thing that will take me to where I'm trying to get creatively, spiritually, emotionally.

[Joan Marie]

Day 9: 23.3. Hilaria = The Roman holiday of Hilaria celebrates laughter and fun. Today's card throws a light on the place light-hearted fun and humour have in your life. Do you laugh often enough? The card challenges you to find things that make you laugh and forget your worries, and do them regularly from now on.

8 of Wands by Tori Stevens

I love this card. I love that the artist took the opportunity to bring the climate crisis into it and used it as a metaphor for the time to act is now.

We are in the midst of a serious situation and like a lot of other people in quarantine I've been spending a lot of time online. And I have seen some really remarkable examples of the human spirit in a crisis. People making the funniest and most clever videos and other things.

Humour in a crisis is priceless. It's what is keeping us going. There is enough bad news and stupid news and infuriating news going around. There is enough stress out there. To bring and to share laughter is a gift.

This morning I saw a funny video some Italian guy and his wife made. I have a good friend who speaks Italian, I sent it to her. She told me I saved her day with that. We have to keep each other's spirits up. It's really important. Not just for getting through this, but for solving the big problems. Humour is an ability to see the absurdity in something and we need that skill to fix things. Humour keeps us sharp.

And my mother always said that a sense of humour is a sign of intelligence. And god knows we need a lot of that right now.

[Raven]

Day 3: 17.3. Liberalia - On this day, the Romans celebrated the Liberalia festival of freedom. Today's card tells you how you use your freedom and encourages you to be really free of bonds that limit your personality, talents and longings. What are the bonds you have to break to be free?


06 Lovers.png


Well, well, well. isn't this an interesting card to draw when the question is about breaking bonds?



It's not an easy place to get to. And counter-intuitively, it requires more real love, pure love, on my part to get there.

If I may jump in and add my two cents, Joan Marie... (I hope you don't mind). The Lovers happens to be my life and soul card, so I've had a lot of time to think about it and how it may operate in a person's life. Also, it has been the lesson I have come to learn.

For me, more than being about breaking bonds, this card speaks of knowing how to love unequivocally, completely, compassionately and unconditionally. How to love oneself in that way, too. Not loving in a naive way where one becomes addicted to another, or one gives up one's power. No, but learning to keep one's power while still being able to be in life with an open heart and soul without walls behind which we too often hide. The challenge is precisely how to love, really love openly, but in such a way that everybody understands that this way of loving does not come from weakness. It comes from strength and will not brook being abused or taken advantage of.

[Joan Marie]

Day 10: 24.3. Earth Hour

On this international day, people stop to think about the environment and the use we make of it. Are you doing all you can to keep and preserve this earth? Today's card asks you to find your own connection to the Earth you live on, whether through environment awareness or the voice of your spiritual tradition. How are you connected to this Earth and how can you honour it?

The Shaman.
From the l'il white book:

A shaman sits preparing for a ritual. His face shows his wisdom but also the toll his work takes on him, yet he continues to perform his work helping others and Nature to heal. The 9 wands of incense cleanse his space and his own aura and energy, so that he can tap into his physical and his inner strength, and so that he can cross the veil and connect to Spirit to assist him in doing what he is called to do. - Julianne Victoria

I just want to thank the artist for this perfect sentiment.

I can't improve on this. I am in awe of this card and the message it has for me.

[Joan Marie]

Day 11: 25.3. The Annunciation - The Christian holiday celebrates peace, hope and new beginnings. Today's card shows you where you have to make peace - with memories, people in your life or other painful matters. Let them go and don't beat yourself up any more.

For this I focused on the "Peace, hope and new beginnings" portion of this.
Seems like more of what I need right now rather than to think about the other part.


And I drew this charming beautiful card:

Page of Wands by Tora Matthews

This card is funny because at first glance you see a playful child but when you look closely, the child is surrounded by danger. Precariously balanced, barefooted, a wild animal, darkness falling, a desolate landscape.

But the child is bold and striking out, in the moment. She's not worried about the past, as children really don't so much do they?

In the moment right now in quarantine, I'm not really feeling this energy, but I will store it up and remember to use it when this is over. When life opens up again and we can make plans again, I will remember this beautiful kid.

[Joan Marie]

Day 12: 26.3. Preparation of the Temple of Luna - On the final day of our 12 days, we prepare for the annual Roman festival in the Temple of Luna, the Moon goddess. Today's card tells you how you can become more attuned to the intuitive, quiet side within you, how you can make your spiritual work more meaningful, and how to integrate your shadow into your life. It's the message of the Moon for the spring days ahead while the influence of the Sun is rising.



I can't believe it's already day 12. Time is so stretchy and bendy right now.

Knight of Wands by Astral Pasta

What a card!!!
From the "l'il white book" :

I've interwoven an idea of Medusa as a goddess or monster of self-transformative willpower and....just power. The Knight, to me, is fire of fire, which my imagination decided linked well with the power of serpents, dragons, fallen angels, artists, fire spinners, and black women (or queerdos, as I like to refer to affectionately refer to us).

She's holding, with her physical hands, a paint brush and bucket of infinite colors of expression and has chosen to channel for this shot the pure fire of creation as a demonstration of her power. With her spiritual hands she's holding a dragon's egg and fueling the flame. She's immersed in herself, her environment, in the sensory, and the spiritual. She has vision and purpose. She claims the energy of the world as her's to use and burn up. She takes up space. She is unstoppable and formidable as an opponent. She sees values in what she creates. Her feeling of self-worth and confidence is undeniable. At her core is alchemical fire, and she is always tapped in. - AstralPasta

I'm so inspired!
The day instruction talks about the quiet side, but I think my quiet side is not in as much need of rousing as my more fiery side.

This is just a beautiful finish and I cannot improve on AstralPasta's words.