Rachel’s DoW 19 Flower Oracles

[Rachelcat]

April showers bring May flowers! Because it’s May, and because we’ve been discussing oracles, I’m going to use these decks this week: Flower Reading Cards, Flowers of the Night Oracle, and Flower Petals, all by Cheralyn Darcey. (Her first deck was Australian Wildflower Reading Cards.) All except the Flower Petals are illustrated with beautiful block printing by Cheralyn. She gives info on the block printing process in the books. And detailed botanical information on the flowers. The Flower Reading Cards have a world location on each card, and the Flowers of the Night have an associated animal. Flower Petals is a mini deck with a short text the cards.

I’m doing a short deck interview for Flower Reading and Flowers of the Night and drawing one card of Flower Petals for today. Then I think I’ll do one card from each for the other days.

Deck Interview of Flower Reading Cards

Strength: Poet’s Narcissus, Confidence, Mount Olympus
The deck is based on solid information and a sureness and confidence in what it says. The opposite of wishy-washy.

Weakness: Tree Peony, Abundance, Laoshan Mountain, China
The deck is not abundant. It only has 36 cards!

What can it teach me: Pyramidal Orchid, Unity, Stonehenge
According to the book, this is about leadership and working together for a goal, including the sacrifices a leader needs to make to get everyone working together. The deck will teach me to keep trying and keep going. What I’m doing is for the good of the group, even though it doesn’t look like I’m doing much now.

Outcome of working together: Scottish Primrose, Compassion, Praying Hands standing stones, Scotland
The flowers have heart-shaped petals! I will gain a better understanding of what people are going through and will let the Unity of the previous card blossom into caring and warm feelings for the people I’m working with.

Deck Interview of Flowers of the Night Oracle

Strength: Passion, Red Flare Waterlily
This deck definitely shows the passion of the creator. And it’s all the stronger for it.

Weakness: Preserve, Silver Ghost, Iranian jerboa
This is about self-care and preserving oneself from outside storms. Maybe the weakness of the deck is that it’s in such a small niche that it’s hidden away from the world?

What it can teach me: Sensuality, Damask Violet, red fox
(This is the illustration on the box and book cover.) Cards are a sensual experience. The deck can teach me to be more appreciative of the art and presentation of my decks.

Outcome of working together: Release, Japanese Honeysuckle, giant flying squirrel
I will let go of my guilt of not using my oracles as much as I should! And of the desire to see a giant flying squirrel in action!

Flower Petals Guidance for Today

Boronia: Do not fear or doubt the new paths ahead.

[Nemia]

OH, this is fascinating! I have been often attracted to botanical tarots and oracles but plants are so place-specific. That makes finding a botanical oracle so difficult. And I don't understand enough about plants. I'll keep an eye on your week.

Please let go of anything you want but NEVER of the desire to see a giant flying squirrel in action!

[Rachelcat]

Please let go of anything you want but NEVER of the desire to see a giant flying squirrel in action!

LOL! Ok, good advice!

I see you're doing oracles, too. We'll face the challenge together!

Monday Daily Draws

Himalayan Blue Poppy, Potential, Mount Kailash
The national flower of Bhutan. Kailash means “crystal” in Sanskrit. I have the power to realize my dreams. Yes, but what are my dreams?

Patience, Japanese Wisteria, evening cicada
Don’t rush into anything. Think about my choices today.

Gerbera: Show appreciation and joy shall follow.

I feel like these are answers to my perennial religion question. I don’t have to decide today what my cynicism and skepticism mean for my life. I need to stay with the question for a while and wait for it to all sink in. In the meantime, who do I show appreciation to?

[Rachelcat]

Tuesday Daily Draws Plus

I had two repeats on only the third day, so I added cards.

Wild Rose, Trust, Valley of the Ten Peaks, Canada
I read the article about therapists learning about alternative therapies and oracles, which made me think about when I went to a counselor, and how I feel like I’m almost over all that ridiculous bad stuff that went down, and how I’d hate to dredge it all up again if I went to a new counselor or therapist. Which is to say that these cards are about relationships. About how the one thing a relationship needs is trust. There shouldn’t be any games in a marriage. Transparency, trust, and giving the benefit of the doubt is what makes it work. And real. And I had to learn that the hard way. (That at least trying living that way myself didn’t protect me from someone who couldn’t and wouldn’t try.)

Passion, Red Flare Waterlily
Passion is nice, but without openness, it’s just another game.

Pleasure, Belle de Nuit, Kinkajou
I’ve been reading an astrology app called The Pattern, and it says my destiny is to enjoy and savor life. (The fun? thing about this app is that it doesn’t use any astro jargon at all, so I don’t know what planet, sign, house? means this.) Kind of strange for a destiny, don’t you think? But I’ll take it for today. Along with a night flowering cactus and an animal that eats mostly figs. Sounds like pleasure to me!

Gerbera: Show appreciation and joy shall follow.

Blushing Bride: Your intentions and heart deserve to be known.

I told you these cards are about relationships! My heart is very close to being healed. THAT deserves to be known!

[Rachelcat]

Good Wednesday morning all! I hope you are happy and healthy!

Wednesday Daily Draws

Madonna Lily, Healing, Plesevica Hill, Croatia
I was talking about healing yesterday. From traumas and bad experiences, and bad personal choices. I made plenty of those! The book speaks of encouragement and care and protection from negative influences. I’ll take them! The hill is thought to be man-made or -altered to be a pyramid, perhaps a temple to the sun. That could be healing, too.

Balance, Chocolate Flower, Kasha-Katuwe Rocks, New Mexico
Not the plant that actually produces chocolate, alas, but a night blooming sunflower. The book makes this look more like Temperance than Justice: blending, not going to extremes, harmony. Success and ease with creative endeavors.

Note that the Flower Reading Cards are alphabetized by flower name, the Flowers of the Night by keyword. I’m reporting them as they appear on the card (and adding the place and animal).

Magnolia: You will find what you need in the wisdom of your heritage.
Hmm, interesting. I don’t really find much of use in my personal heritage (American of English and German extraction). Well, maybe it’s the American part. Primary elections in our state were delayed, and now we’re going to have mail-in ballots due June 2. Maybe I should take my heritage seriously and encourage everyone I know to vote! The thought is that if we can vote by mail, more people will do it. I wonder if that’s true. I guess we’ll find out!

[Rachelcat]

Thursday Flower Moon Spread

My deepest desire: Power, Queen of the Night, Cuban boa
I think it’s a Shakespeare play that answers the question, what do women want. Self-sovereignty. I think everyone’s deepest desire is to be in charge of their own life, to have the inner and outer freedom to do what they want and be responsible for themselves. Be a true adult. That’s my deepest desire.

My feminine essence: Influence, Spinystar
Funny, after my paean to self-sufficiency, this card means outside influences, going with the flow and cooperating with fate. I guess my power is that I can determine that sometimes it’s in my best interest to do that. Still in charge!

How can she bloom: Gardenia, Awareness, Perfume Pagoda, Vietnam
I can bloom by being aware of when to fight fate and when to cooperate with it. But I have to be open to it, not just keeping fighting.

My masculine essence: Edelweiss, Dedication, Einsiedeln Abbey, Switzerland
This is a good use of masculine energy, commitment and hard work. I’ve done it, I know I can do it again.

How can he bloom: Motivation, Four O’Clock, Machu Pichu
Commitment doesn’t work as well without motivation. You can work doggedly through something through sheer dedication, but it’s better when you keep your why close by!

Sacred union to bring desire to fruition:
Death, Devil’s Trumpet, Indian flying fox (bat)
Snowdrop, Hope, Dolomites (mountains), Italy
Let my negativity surrounding men and relationships finally die, and let hope in. Hope that I can live a happy and, yes, powerful life without constant reminder of the ugliness of the past. It’s just a number, but turning 60 years old has really freed me. I’m officially old, so I have a kind of license to live my own way. If I can’t do all the sit-ups, hey, at least I’m trying. If I never have a love relationship, so what? I’m living for me, not for someone else. For me, that’s the essence of Death + Hope!

Have a beautiful Thursday, everyone!

[Rachelcat]

Happy Friday, everyone! I hope you have a good day today!

Friday Daily Draws

Scottish Primrose, Compassion, Praying Hands standing stones, Scotland
We all know what compassion means. Think of others as much as yourself. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Care about what they’re feeling. This is a repeat, so I drew another Flower Reading Card:

Oleander, Caution, Msoura stone circle, Morocco
Hmm, more standing stones. And one of the most toxic of all plants! Charming. I think these cards together are saying be compassionate but don’t be a sucker. I have to take care of myself as well as think of others.

Affinity, Night Phlox, aardwolf
I should be careful to understand the difference between general compassion for others and a true emotional connection with someone. (Aardwolves are termite-eaters with sticky tongues to get them! Connecting with them?)

Orchid: Your uniqueness is always perfectly lovely.
Well, I don’t know about that. I’ve felt like, and been, an oddball all my life. I’m cool with it now, and do enjoy my uniqueness. I don’t know about lovely, though. Maybe I need to start thinking of my oddness as not just interesting, but also lovely.

[Rachelcat]

Good Saturday morning, everyone! Have a happy weekend!

Saturday Daily Draws

Yesterday I started offering tarot readings to my co-workers as a fundraiser for the local food bank. I have 7 “customers” so far! I finished one reading by video call last night and have more scheduled through Monday, and I have 3 to do by email today. So I’m asking how the rest of my readings will go, and if I’ll get some more.

Lavender, Cleansing, Ratapignata Pyramid, France
For this one, I looked at the “challenges” section of the book: taking on too much, nervousness, taking things too seriously. Ok, I need to guard against those when doing my readings. Instead I need relaxation and purification. Maybe I’ll burn my lavender candle while I read. Another man-made pyramid hill. I didn’t know there were so many!

Wisdom, Night Orchid, cuscus, arboreal animal of New Guinea
Ok, this seems more promising for tarot readings! “New guidance is offered.” So far so good. Oh, dear: “Your actions today will be felt for a very long time.” No pressure or anything . . . I’ll try to do my best.

Magnolia: You will find what you need in the wisdom of your heritage.
I had this one already. Maybe in this case my heritage is tarot?

Poppy: Remember who you wanted to be.
For some reason, I was thinking about poppies and Flanders Field this morning. (I think I was thinking of Memorial Day coming up, which led to Veterans Day . . .) Also, a neighbor has planted poppies in his yard, and I always notice them on my walks. This is a beautiful take on poppies as remembrance. Remember yourself. I think I always wanted to be an academic, but I didn’t know there was such a thing back then. Tarot has given me an opportunity to learn and study almost all my life. I appreciate that.