Weekly Forecast 10.15.18 - Choose your own Adventure!

WHAT DOES YOUR WEEK HAVE IN STORE?

It's Choose your Own Adventure time! 

Take a few deep breaths. You may wish to close your eyes for a moment.

Once you open your eyes, select the 3 cards you are most drawn to. REMEMBER the order. You may even wish to write it down (1,7,3 or 4,2,6) etc.

Rana George Lenormand - US Games

Okay....got your numbers? Don't forget them! 

Scroll down to reveal your cards.

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Rana George Lenormand - US Games

INTERPRETING YOUR READING

FIRST...

Identify the key words associated with your cards....it may help to write this down or put in the comments what each of your cards mean.

1) Whip = Arguing, repetition, disagreement

2) Snake = Betrayal, not as it seems

3) Stars = Hope/future, the internet

4) Child = New, a child

5) Lilies = Patience, a long time

6) Birds = Communication, talking

7) Tower = Structure, bureaucracy, large institutions/systems, alone

8) Moon = Romance, dreams, emotion

NEXT...

Identify your focus card. The 2nd card you picked is your focus card. This card will generally serve as the central topic your week will revolve around. The cards surrounding this card (the first and third cards you picked) augment the focus card. Usually, the center card is the noun and the surrounding cards are the adjectives used to describe it. 

For example if you picked…

Child + Moon + Birds

You may have new ideas/dreams come to mind that you discuss with others this week.

Another example...

Whip + Tower + Lilies

You may be struggling with a large institution this week that may take time to resolve.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU JUST DID A LENORMAND READING!

REMEMBER...

Check out my post on How to do a 3 Card Lenormand Spread for more in depth instructions and examples. 

Remember, this is for fun! This is a very simplified reading and Lenormand can do sooo much more.

It's perfectly okay if you don't feel like you don't 100% understand your reading. I recommend commenting below with your cards and interpretation so you can reference back and see how your week played out.

If you don't understand your cards make sure to reference back to them later in the week. Chances are as your week progresses, you will see how your cards come to life. This simple practice can help you to develop a relationship with the Lenormand so you can begin to associate your life with the cards.

WHAT DID YOU GET? LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

Want all Lenormand Card Meanings at your Fingertips?

October Forecast - Are you still living in the cupboard under the stairs?

Life’s a movie, here’s your script

When you think of everything you do in your life, you put on many hats and fulfill many roles AKA you do a whole heck of a lot.

A role, according to the dictionary, is the function or part we assume. In this day and age, we fulfill so many roles…you can be a mother, a brain scientist, a wife or girlfriend, a fur baby parent, and so much more.

Each role requires responsibility on our part, and has certain standards of how to fulfill that role, certain ways we are expected to act. We are, to an extent, actors in our lives.

At birth, we are given a set of circumstances that we have no control over, our family structure, our socioeconomic status, the color of our skin, our perceived gender, and more. These circumstances can be like a script, dictating where we are expected to go, do, say, and more. Society determines what is acceptable for someone in our role to fulfill whether we like it or not.

If great care is not taken, we slip into the roles other people have created for us. A script is handed to us as we become adults as well and we become a supporting role in someone else’s movie. Most of our lives feel scripted as we go to work, come home, take care of family, etc. There are parameters that we are expected to stay within to keep the scenes of our lives moving smoothly. Sure, we can improvise, add our own personalities and flair, but ultimately there is this undercurrent of pressure to keep everything running smoothly. Almost a blueprint in our lives where we can almost totally predict one day to the next.

 BUT…what if this script, this blueprint feels confining? What if we feel something within us that wants something different…something more?

Congratulations! That means, your character has evolved. Let me show you what I mean.

But first, let’s take a look at our cards for the month for our Lenormand Learners:

Lenormand:

Woman + Coffin + Letter + Mountain + Stars

Tarot:

High Priestess, Reversed

Card Breakdown

Woman + Coffin = Transformation, transitions

Letter + Mountain = Script is blocking future

Mountain + Stars = Hope/future beyond blockage, expansion

High Priestess Reversed = Not tuning into your gut, ignoring your true self

Summary: We have transformed and now our script (circumstances) no longer fit our new, evolved character. It’s time to pause, and tune in to our true selves to and ask what is no longer fitting in my life? Where do I feel stuck or supressed? It’s time to pencil into the margins of your script so your circumstances can begin to evolve with you.

Are you still living in the cupboard under the stairs?

Y’all know I understand life through Harry Potter.

Do you remember where Harry Potter began his journey? He was living in the cupboard under the stairs of the Dursley’s on private drive. He didn’t know what he was capable of. He had some idea that he had some power, like the snake incident with Dudley, but he didn’t fully understand his abilities.

The Dursley’s had written him a script that he felt powerless to change. It had a dash of bullying, a side of loathing, and a main course of a sad life.

BUT…of course Harry didn’t live out this script. We all know the story. He went on to evolve, and evolve year after year until he, with A LOT of help from Ron and Hermione (well mostly Hermione), became a very brave and clever Wizard indeed. He had TRULY outgrown the Dursleys. In other words, he flipped the script.

Can you imagine Dudley trying to bully Harry in year 6 or 7 at Hogwarts?

No way José. 

He had recognized his own power, and outgrown his previous life. In terms of power, he now towered above the Dursleys…it’s not even possible to keep him in the cupboard under the stairs any longer. So I ask you the question:

Are you still living in the cupboard under the stairs?

Your version of this cupboard could be your current job, a toxic relationship, or any situation that feels like you have outgrown it. There are only so many times you can hit your head at the top of the closet before you finally realize, wow I can’t be here anymore.

You may need to let a friend go after they let you down for the umpteenth time. You may feel you have been disrespected by your boss one too many times and it is time to look for something else. Whatever it may be, quit bumpin your head!

Now, I don’t mean to be so dramatic. For some, their version of a closet is luxe apartment that they have outgrown and now they’re ready for a bonafide family home. You may not be suffering where you are.

BUT…no matter the setting of your script, it’s important to recognize the transformations you’ve made. You are magic, vibrating, and constantly changing. You need to have room to stretch and be who you are.

Time to mark up your script

Okay, no shame if you feel your circumstances confine you like that cupboard. You don’t need to trash your current circumstances and walk out like Gene Simmons of KISS trashes a hotel room. You don’t need to blow up your life like that to see improvement in your circumstances.

But here’s the thing:

You’re always going to be a character in someone else’s movie until you decide to write and direct your own.

Even if your script shoves you in the cupboard under the stairs but you’re not quite at the Harry defeating Voldemart level, but perhaps you’re feeling like Harry book 2 and you’re ready to take on the basilisk. This is when he started acknowledging his potential, seeing some growth. Harry started venturing out more, testing his boundaries, realizing that he had some agency to live his own life, outside of the cupboard and Private Drive.

Eventually, he did blow off the Dursley’s all together. But it took TIME, courage, encouragement.  

He started penciling outside the lines of his script a little. The Dursley’s recognized this and put him in an upstairs bedroom.

When you begin to recognize your power and exercise boundaries, others will respect you more and your circumstances tend to improve on their own.

If you’re thinking…come’on Emily. I’m not Harry Potter! I’m not some special Wizard. Plus…he was told he was special by a giant bearing a smooshed cake.

Let me solve that problem for you.

I’ll be your Hagrid.

You’re magic my love. You NEED to believe that you are magic and have the power to share what you love to do with the world. We need your shine.

That starts with you expanding yourself, taking up more space. It takes drawing a line through the things in your script that no longer serve you. Penciling in new lines, character attributes, crossing out characters that tear you down, writing more lines for people who build you up.

I’m handing you a smooshed cake and saying, you’re a wizard. It’s time to learn how to use your magic in the world.

But to do that, you must defy your script and take some steps out from the closet under the stairs.

3 Reasons why your Lenormand Readings aren't Clear (and the Fixes)

Raise your HaND…

if you’ve ever started a Lenormand reading, and as you flip over the cards, a sinking feeling hits the pit of your stomach…

You’ve put in some time studying Lenormand, so why don’t the cards in front of you make sense? You start brainstorming what the cards in front of you could possibly mean…but you feel stumped. Sound familiar?

It sounded familiar to many of the Lenormand Learners in my community. When I asked them what their biggest challenges were, I discovered quickly that ALL of the hang ups had one thing in common…duh duh duh duh!

They all had something to do with the SETUP of the reading.

Before any cards are dealt, it’s your job as the reader to set the scene. If you don’t set up your reading properly, it’s like shooting a movie with the wrong costumes, props, or scenery. The movie still happens but it can be a confusing trip for all involved. So how do you set up your readings for success?

Good news! I got you covered. To have your readings flow effortlessly, all you need is a little prep.

We’re going to explore the real talk challenges my Lenormand Learner’s community sent my way, see what the real culprit of the problem is, and how to fix it.

Reason #1 You’re not Creating Sacred Space      

The Challenge

I get nervous! I find it hard to tune into my intuition right away and my knowledge of the cards is checked at the door when I start reading for other people.

It’s important that you feel centered before any cards are pulled. If you’re feeling rushed, or flustered your reading will feel the same. This is a result of not feeling grounded in the space you are in.

The Fix

Develop a card reading ritual. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It can be as simple or as extravagant as you would like.

For my ritual, I hold my cards in the palm of my hand with the other hand on top. I then send intention into the cards that I would like information that is in my client’s best and highest good and I’m only looking for information that will help the querent. I’ve said these words so many times before, so it triggers a sense of calm so I’m ready to read. Nervous energy can’t live inside a ritual.

There are many ways to create this sacred space. I see some folks that burn sage, have a clearing spray that helps them focus, shuffle their cards in a certain way, or all of the above and more! There is no final rule on this so create a ritual that works for you!

Reason #2 Your Ego is Driving the Car

The Challenge

I have a hard time seeing what the cards are actually telling me and I’m afraid I’m only seeing what I want to see. 

I totally get it. Often times, you are asking serious questions and you want there to be a positive outcome for yourself or your client. We WANT to deliver good news….because it feels good! It doesn’t feel good in the moment to underline a difficulty in someone’s life.

BUT, it is so necessary. Think of your life as a car and reading Lenormand as the headlights, illuminating the path ahead. If you’re reading for yourself and you see that there is a hardcore traffic jam down the road, it does you NO GOOD to say, ah smooth sailing I’ll get to my destination in no time. Although it feels good to say this in the moment, you’re going to hit that traffic jam one way or another so you may as well be prepared! You can begin to strategize how you want to move around it, experiment with different solutions and alternate routes.  

If you’re letting your ego drive, it will try to obscure your vision and slip some rose colored glasses on you. If you let intuition drive, it will show you what is ahead clearly. 

The Fix

If reading for yourself, ask questions in the 3rd person. I know it seems weird, but it helps untether your emotions from the reading so you can clearly see what is ahead. It tricks your ego into thinking you’re reading about someone else so you can get the straight up truth.

If reading for someone else, think of yourself as a channel or conduit for the information and not as YOU (your name). Although you are always you, it is possible to be lighter, a vessel for the information that needs to come through.  Your job is just to shine a light on what is ahead for the querent and any relevant advice that comes through the cards. Of course your personality can flourish the interpretations and make it come alive, but make sure to get a raw read first, then your personality/ego can refine the message so it becomes more clear to your client.

Reason #3 You’re not Asking the Right Question

Rana George Lenormand

The Challenge

My readings just don’t seem to make sense. I pull cards and I can’t figure out what they’re relating to…some cards can mean many different things. How do I know what each card means?

I feel ya on this one. One example is the Bear card. It can mean: finances, mother in-law, your boss, nutrition, strength, and more! How do you know what it means when it comes up? You need to set the stage right by laying down your context.

Asking the wrong question is the main cause of muddled readings. In Lenormand, context is EVERYTHING. The cards respond directly to the question you are asking. Asking the wrong question is like trying to act out Romeo and Juliet while you’re on the set of Alien vs. Predator. It doesn’t make a lot of sense (side note… I might watch that movie if someone was to make it …but for our metaphor sake…very unhelpful).

The Fix

Because asking the right questions is THE main remedy to crystal clear readings I’ve created a totally free guide to help you formulate the perfect question. The ask Clear Questions, get Clear Answers Guide includes 4 simple steps to creating the perfect and a case study so you can see examples of unclear questions transformed into clear questions.

In the Lenormand Learner’s community? Don’t worry - this guide is already in your inbox.

Cheers to crystal clear readings!

How to Have Fun in the Deep End

The sticky hot air of August reminds me of the thick earth at the banks of a lake, where I would sit and sweat, and feel the cool water lapping at my feet. As a kid, I would stay in the safe zone of the shallow end, while I watched my cousins in the deep end, racing from one point to another, disappearing under the surface for a minute or so before they bobbed up, gasping for air, one whooping up his victory.  They were in a wild, free, and unsafe place where they couldn't plant their feet on the rocky bottom or grab onto anything to keep them afloat. They relied on themselves to keep safe.

I wanted so badly to go to their end of the lake, the deep end. But I didn't trust my own legs to propel myself there, or my arms to windmill fast enough, or my own mind to feel the thrill of nothing but the push and pull of the water beneath my feet. 

So I just sat and watched from the shallow bank and wished I was there, in the deep end.

The Cards Say...

This month, the cards ask: do you trust in your own strength? It's now time to dive into the deep end and know that you are capable of surviving and thriving even in the most challenging conditions. You must dive deep to get what you want. 

Here's the techy break down for you Lenormand Learners:

Decks: Rana George Lenormand and Radiant Rider-Waite. US Games. 

Bear + Child = New Strength

Bear + Child + Woman = Strength of a Woman/Person (you)

Woman + Fish = Abundance and possibilities of a Woman/Person (you)

7 of Cups, Reversed = Don't get distracted by the shiny objects

Desire is your Diving Board

Whether you know it or not, you are a strength machine. I believe our subconscious stores experiences and know how to use at a later date, like the Bear, so we can conjure them at the right time to make it through a tough situation or, even better, embark upon and execute a goal.

A goal is better of course because it is something that YOU choose. It doesn't happen TO you. You decide, what happens to it.

In order to use this strength for a goal, you must first set an intention. This is by far the hardest part and likely what you have been storing your strength for. Often, our intention is not convenient at all. Our lives are not built in a way where we can drop everything and pursue our passion to volunteer abroad, or start a business making beautiful jewelry, or become a healer.

We can easily talk ourselves out of any goal we have. But...this time, don't.

If you have a nagging feeling deep down that you want to do something else with your life, don't ignore it. Now is the time to dive in. 

That desire or intention you have within you is the diving board, high off the ground. We may be standing on the ground, cranking our necks to look up at it, thinking "how the heck am I supposed to get up there?"

I want you to entertain the idea that you can't let go of. What would it feel like to actually start your own business? 

You just took a step up that ladder. 

You type into Google, how can I plan a volunteer trip abroad? 

You took a step.

Pretty soon, you're standing at the top of that diving board, ready to dive in.

But here's the thing...you may be tempted to step backward toward the shallow end and get preoccupied with the surface.

Don't be Distracted by the Shiny Objects

Y'all, we are MASTER procrastinators.

We have shiny object syndrome hard. Here's why:

Consciously knowing what you want is often upsetting to the part of you that LOVES comfort and therefore our brains create illusionary tactics to keep us busy. It tells us things like “lose weight!” “your clothes aren’t nice enough!” “there’s a sale here go buy stuff!” That’s my kryptonite...ugh those sales though. These distractions serve as little faux happy pills that work for awhile, but wear off and leave us unfulfilled and often lonely.

Our unwillingness to take those steps toward the diving board mean we stay in the shallow end, fretting about surface level problems that are symptomatic of our larger fears. 

The other thing that causes us to focus on the pretty objects is the doubt we may have in ourselves. You may feel like, how can I actually commit myself to this? Am I even capable?

If you feel this way...I just want you to remember that...

Humans are in Space for God's Sakes

You may think you can't do it but people are in space. Literally, orbiting above our heads. In-freaking-credible. 

Humans are goal crushers.  People live in Antartica, the Sahara desert, people live in submarines in the ocean. We make impossible things possible.

How do we do this? Through failing. Through trying, failing, trying again, failing, tweaking our goal, then eventually, succeeding.

But, there is something deeper going on than what we see on the surface. We may see an Olympic athlete participate in three Olympics until they finally win, but I bet your bottom dollar that they are doing some serious inner work as well, which all takes place in the deep end. They don't just need to run fast to win a race. They need to dig deep within themselves and remove any obstacles that may be in their way. 

The real journey is when we dive to the depths of the deep end and face what is in us. Because often the main thing preventing us from accomplishing or even pursuing what we want are the unknown fear monsters that live in the deep end of ourselves. 

What is the Deep End?

The deep end is your subconscious, your inner thoughts and dreams that don’t often see the light of day.

Anytime we want to pursue a goal aligned with our higherself, or our purpose, we must dive into the deepest parts ourselves and see what's there, confront what lives within us and learn to live with it or transform it. Because whatever lies beneath the surface of the deep end, controls us on some level. It's not what scary creatures live there (our deepest fears), instead, its our fear of these deep fears. Woah meta.

Dance with the Piranha

Image Source: http://www.arcanumvet.com/black-dragonfish/

Okay so this isn't a piranha but it's a Black Dragonfish. Same diff, still freaky. 

I see these monsters within us representing our shadow self or deep fears we have been harboring for eons. When you bump into one of these deepest fears monster, AKA your deep desire to be in a victim role, or your fear of being alone forever, or whatever it may be. Instead of swimming away in a hurry, try stroking that monster.

Say, “hey, I see ya bucktooth and you’re kinda freaky. But, in a way, I kind of dig you. You are part of me.” Then, next time that freakydeeky monster swims by you, you’ll just nod in acknowledgement. He may even flash his toothy grin at you. Maybe you’ll dance with a demented mermaid. Or salsa with a sea monster. Pretty soon, the dark depths of the deep end aren't so scary. Sure, some creatures may look scary at first but once you get to know them, you realize, it is just another part of you. Don't shun them, dance with them. 

Once you get used to the dark, the light is a piece of cake. Every time you resurface, you’ve discovered a new part of yourself. You’ve danced a new dance and acquainted yourself with a new monster. Smile at the sun above you. Be grateful for the light and the dark.

Every once and awhile when you resurface, you’ll come across a fellow deep ender who has just danced with their monster. Grin at each other. Dance with one another.

This, is having fun in the deep end.

Back to the Lake

I finally mustered the gumption to walk across the shallow end to a patch of land that connects to the deep end. I want to be near the action, but...keep me out of it.  I convinced myself, I will NOT jump in. I'm not brave enough, strong enough, good enough to swim here. I'm going to dip my feet in and hurl quips at my cousins every now and then. 

While my plan was firm in my mind, I felt a jolt to my waist as I was picked up and thrust into the water by my cousin.

He threw me in to the deep end. 

The shock of the cool water pulsed through my head through the strands of my hair. Before I even had time to think, I felt my legs propelling me up, my arms swooping down, pushing my head above the water. I gasped for air and looked around.

I was swimming in the deep end and found its the most natural place to be. 

March Theme - Transform that Habit

You may notice this post is coming to you later in the month than usual...

Anyone else feel like March has taken all you habits, put them in a cocktail shaker, and you have to humpty dumpty them back together again? 

My month has been dominated by travel *hey NW Tarot Symposium peeps!* so as I come back to reality, I realize that it's hard to resume my normal routine...Getting out of that routine has illuminated the habits that are no longer working for me.

I pulled these cards back in February and boy have they been playing out for me throughout this month!

Okay, let's lay our March theme out:

Rana George Lenormand - US Games

Here's the techy breakdown for you Lenormand Learners:

Book + Bed = Learning about our comfort zones

Bear = The bear is our focus card here. With the bed and whip sandwiching him, this points to our habits and routines that comprise our comfort zones. 

Whip + Heart = Freedom through discipline. Repeating an action/habit to get a desired result

What does this mean for my life?

This month, we are becoming more aware of our day to day habits...especially the ones that are not so helpful. We all know deep down which habits are not the most beneficial to us...perhaps we're not eating the best food, or we're spending too much money, or we realize we waste too much time on that dumb phone game.

Although we may have known on a visceral level that we need to change, we have not yet sprung into action or fully acknowledged that this habit is unhelpful to us. Sometimes, we don't even realize what the habit is because it is so second nature!

As we work our way through March, this habit becomes conscious and unbearable to us, so much so that we MUST change...or at least try!

Okay, so what is your habit? If it doesn't come right away try listening to that little nagging feeling you have....it lives there. Have your habit in the forefront of your mind as you keep reading.

How do we change? Check your shadow.

Freedom lies at the edge of discipline. In order to transform our habit, we need to continue to try and try again.

But...in order to try and kick our habits, we need to have some understanding of WHY we have that habit.

Believe it or not, some part of us likes that habit.

WHAT?!  I know...it's crazy to think that some part of us likes being unhealthy or broke or (insert unpleasant side effect of habit here). But believe it....some part of us LOVES this habit. Otherwise, we wouldn't continue to do it. Most likely,  there is a very deep down part of us that uses that habit as comfort and uses this habit to slap a bandaid over a deeper wound.

The cards are asking us to begin the process of understanding what we are soothing and why that habit soothes it. I know...this can get a bit deep and plunge down into the scary depths we don't want to explore.

You don't have to fully unearth all your deep dark secrets to get answers. You just have to acknowledge why you LOVE this habit. What about it do you love deep down? This is all part of shadow integration which is a deeper subject which others have written a vast amount on. I like this short post from Witch Magazine exploring the subject if you're curious about your shadow.

But here's the comforting thing: we ALL have these habits or did at one time or another!

I'll get a bit personal here...

As an example, I am trying to minimize processed food in my life. When I get stressed,  I want chocolate and eat something bad. But why do I do this? For me, I realized I want to distract myself from the stressed feeling with another feeling of tastiness. This is how I soothed myself as a kid when I didn't know how to process something - I would distract myself with junk food.

So, this month I am paying attention to the feeling that triggers the craving. When I start feeling stressed or anxious, I practice getting curious and thinking "ooh, I'm feeling anxious right now. Why am I feeling anxious?" Then, my attention drifts from the stressed feeling, to investigating the feeling.

Just keep on it.

Remember here that you do not have to solve the problem this month. Just try! If you are starting to get curious about a habit you want to change, then you are on your way. The whip shows us that repetition is key.

In our fix it mindset, we are likely to jump to self judge and think "I am changing this habit 100% right now." This thought process sets us up for failure since we are not likely to succeed the first time we try (if you do, you are truly one in a million). So it's important to be kind and gentle with ourselves and instead of all or nothing.

So, be kind to yourself.

When you feel your habit coming on, a good mantra is "I'm getting curious and I am figuring it out." 

If you are even acknowledging your habit this month, you're on the right track. When we become really aware of our habit, it is harder for it to survive in the light of day if it doesn't serve us. 

Remember, your worth is not defined by one action. You can do this.

Keep on shining :-)