W o l f B l o o d

A tarot/oracle spread I made! I used this one for the new year, and got some interesting results. Amazingly, for the Companion card I pulled a card that signifies the Lady of Flowers, and one card that is "the Unicorn", so that could not be clearer, lol. This year I am working on "gamifying my life" and I want to bring some more play and RPG elements into my practice, which is what inspired this spread.

an Adventure - what is the journey or the adventure that you will go on?

a Divine Boon - a gift from your deity/spirit/the universe/etc. that will aid you on your journey

an Amulet of Empowerment - from where can you draw strength? Who or what is empowering you?

a Companion on your Journey - this can mean anything from a tarot card to a spirit to a deity. Who will accompany you and aid you on your quest?

a Spark of Hope in the Dark - we all know that quests can sometimes lead us to dark dungeons and to situations that can seem bleak. From where can you draw hope?

Ok! Buckle up, fox kit, it's time to set out to rekindle your passion! You have the hoard of lessons and tools and ideas and supplies from all your previous journeys right there already! So roll up your sleeves and get creative. Invent a new game you can play with the existing pieces. Bounce ideas off your best friend and don't be afraid to get silly with it. It's not all fun and games going through old boxes in the basement though, and some attachments are very hard to let go of. So if it ever starts to feel too intense or too scary, remember it's your choice. You aren't trapped. Change the game or just take a break entirely to regroup and reflect on what went wrong. You can always come back with a clearer head.

Deck is the Oak Ash & Thorn by Stephanie Burrows and Adam Oehlers.

What I drew:

1 - where i am now, 10 of coins

2 - let go of immediately, the world

3 - draw strength from, 9 of wands

4 - action to take in personal life, strength

5 - help others, 4 of wands

6 - what to defend, 8 of coins

7 - how to defend it, daughter (page) of cups

8 - a message to help navigate - 6 of wands

The interpretation:

1 - my current headspace has me focusing on work, abundance, success. This tracks, I've been working a lot and money concerns are prominent right now. On the other side, I do have resources. I'm very lucky to not be in an immediately precarious situation and I should remember that when I'm weighing the cost/reward of taking on more work.

2 - drop the world doesn't sound great but beyond my knee-jerk aversion to this pull I think there's a solid reminder to not shoulder more than I can carry. If I'm worrying about everything, striving for perfection in every direction, I'm not going to be able to sustain that for long and ultimately setting manageable expectations and achievable goals will do more good than trying to do it all. I'm not Atlas. Good enough is good enough.

3 - ....sigh. Hello 9 of wands my old friend. My first glance reaction to this placement was exhaustion. Looking past the someone-needs-a-nap voice in my head that whined "what do you MEAN draw strength from having to climb all those stairs??" I can see the wisdom here. One step at a time. Be proud of how far you've come. Rest when you need to and remember why you're climbing, that your goal gets closer with every step you take.

4 - I think for me this is a reminder to make time for things that make me feel competent, capable, and energized. Carving space out for activities that keep me in balance with that part of myself is not selfish or wasteful, it's part of the necessary maintenance of my well-being. I am the keeper of the animal that is me and that animal needs enrichment, exercise, play, and joy. I am responsible for providing it.

5 - as far as what I can do for others, I guess it's time to throw a party. I can provide windows of joy, reminders to celebrate successes, in a time where so much is difficult and negative. We're all fighting, all doing our best, and I can make a space for celebrating the joys of my community, large and small. We should all be proud of ourselves and our loved ones and not let stress and negativity become all consuming. Dark times are all the more reason to intentionally highlight all the joy we can, and do so together.

6 - another one that hit me similarly to the 9 of wands as where to draw strength. I'm clearly having some stamina issues with both of these cards about repetition and dedication making me feel so tired. Again though, I can look past that initial feeling to see the helpful answer. It's actually similar to what I was getting from the strength card, a reminder to focus on what I'm good at and apply my skills. To hone in on what I can provide with skill and pride, and on connecting with others that have different strengths so we can cover each other's weak spots and form a web of support and resource that provides for us.

7 - I can defend that web by staying flexible, innovative, expressive, and creative. Listen to my heart and engage with empathy, voice my feelings with vulnerability, and pursue beauty both created and enjoyed. Earnest connection is the name of the game here and we get that by being open and genuine.

8 - things may be tough but every challenge is a lesson and each experience puts another tool into the belt. We've made it this far and looking back will show just how much we've grown and changed. Lots of wands and fire in this spread overall, a good reminder to nurture the spirit with joy and keep the fires burning with plenty of fuel and air. Celebration of success is replenishing and motivating. It is both deserved and important.

Overall, set realistic goals for the resources/energy available. Taking it one step at a time and putting the day to day work in may not be glamorous or flashy, but it's how progress is made. Rest and celebration of accomplishments are important parts of the upkeep needed so that work can keep getting done.

Deck is the Wild Unknown by Kim Krans.