Into the Void

The beautiful void spread from Many Moons, with the beautiful Small Spells tarot 🌑 Thank you for the magic, @gottesss,  @wildsoulhealing, and @smallspells! (And thank you, @lousywiththespirit for giving me this deck)

Fire Energy

My intention for August was all about integration—absorbing the lessons I've learned so far this year, uniting my inner self with my outer actions, finding a sense of wholeness. 
But in the later part of the month, it became clear that I was accumulating a lot of fiery energy with all that self-work, and without a direction to channel it outward, it was getting to me. Feeling restless, impatient, angry, a little too "on." I'm reminded that there's no arrival point in life. Balance comes from constant motion. I've gotta let that energy flow through in writing, art, moving my body, all in daily practice. Gotta ground down, and then send it up, like these fire queen amaranthus, if I'm going to keep growing and integrating.

Mercury Retrograde :: 10 of Swords

You know I love a retrograde. Mercury going retrograde in Virgo feels clean, like it's time to FINALLY check some big unfinished housekeeping task off your list. And afterwards, you're going to feel so light. That's what Mercury retrograde is for: clearing YOU out so you're ready to go forward and communicate better with yourself and other people. Pulling the 10 of Swords for this actually made me smile! What better illustration for a thought being thought to death (to borrow a phrase from Lindsay Mack), for finally wrapping up an old hurt, for reaching the endpoint of suffering about something?

So what kind of internal housekeeping do you need to finish in this retrograde? For a lot of us, it's a bunch of golden oldies from Times People Wronged Me. Usually, these things come up when you're ready to clear and release them once and for all. So remember it's good when old memories of pain pops up! When they do, don't just pop them back down like Whack-a-Mole. Feel all the old emotions you're still hanging onto: anger, resentment, hurt, disappointment. Name them, then step back a little from them. Can you see them as something you experienced, not something you ARE? It's so much easier to let go of past hurt when you don't identify with those feelings. When you're able to say, "I felt angry because someone was unkind to me. I wanted kindness and I was disappointed." And then can you let go of it? Breathe in, think "I felt angry." Breathe out, think "I release it."

This is hard work, but any time something surfaces for you, that's because you are strong enough to handle it. Maybe you didn't have the tools at the time it happened, but you sure do now! You've already done the suffering around that issue, and you can be done with it now. 10 is the end of the line, there's no 11 of Swords where you keep on hurting. What are you gonna do with your fresh new clean space?

Naming

I'm Moriah Simmons, and now my IG handle and website say so, too. I picked the name Lioness Tarot to embody certain qualities I have, and to brand myself as a tarot reader. And frankly, I picked that name to hide a little bit. I wasn't sure of myself, my abilities, or my readiness to be fully out there as a healer back in February. It was my "Sasha Fierce," the confident mask I put on before I went out to do this work. I needed it, and I'm grateful for the last six months. But I don't need a stage persona anymore. 

I'm still a big warm cat of a person, and still a tarot reader. But I'm a lot of other things, too. I'm a writer, a reiki practitioner, a listener, a friend, a partner. I can't compartmentalize myself and lose sight of the bigger picture. 

I've been working on integration this whole month, living one life with all of my being. I will continue evolving, but I'll always be myself. That is my commitment as a healer, to keep evolving and doing my own soul work. That lets me serve my clients with clarity and integrity. I love this work, and I'm looking forward to expanding my offerings and seeing what unfolds as I continue on this path. Thank you for reading! 

Love,
Moriah

35th Birthday

35 is off to a great start. I'm going to bring big warm Queen of Wands energy as much as I can. It's ok to be seen, it's good! Being seen is not the same as seeking attention. I was raised to hide, told that I should not want to perform or dress up or speak up because that was showing off or being vain. I believed that for a long time but I'm breaking away from it bit by bit. Sometimes you just have to be out there, shining. It's not about attention, it's about truth. (And the card I pulled on my birthday yesterday for the year ahead: Judgement. Haha fancy seeing you here when I'm dealing with a whole bunch of feelings about life and purpose and loss.)

First Class and Ego Traps

I'm teaching my first tarot meetup and class in a few weeks. This is an idea that's been percolating since May, and now that it's happening I ran into a patch of my old ego traps. I set up a doc and started typing, and then almost immediately started thinking, "what do I know, who am I to try to teach tarot." All kinds of stuff to try to stay small. And I bought it!

I avoided working on my lesson plan for a few days. I even started to feel the flailing in my other readings. Like, "how do I know that's really what the High Priestess means here?" and "maybe this hit I got about family is just me projecting, and not really my intuition." So much fear and negative self-talk, and it felt so normal. Once I realized what was happening, it was pretty uncomfortable to break out of that rut. But all I can do is keep going. It doesn't feel soft and fluffy right now but I'm trusting myself. 

So back to lesson plan writing! And obvs, since I'm on the Virgo cusp I'm planning the shit out of it. I'll probably end up with 20 pages of notes and worksheets and an agenda and a recommended reading list.

I'm really grateful for my teachers, for Lindsay Mack, who brought new depth to my tarot practice and introduced me to Michelle Sinnette. Michelle has taught me so much about ego, intuition, and the life of service. I'm grateful for the classes I've taken with Rachel Howe, Molly Burkett, Sarah Gottesdiener, and others, all amazing teachers who have given me inspiration to find my own path as a teacher. And I'm grateful for this community. Thank you for reading, and thank you for sharing your wisdom and work.

Full Moon in Aquarius

The Tower
Just in case you were getting comfortable with the status quo, here's The Tower! This shits-about-to-get-real vibe has been getting stronger for a while. Now it's here. Things are going to be confused, scary and downright weird for a little while as this energy plays out.

And this time The Tower isn't just a tear-down of your personal outdated beliefs (though yes, it is that, too). It's signaling a tipping point in the greater consciousness. We are ready as a society to evolve. The first step is ripping the old shit down. No more condoning systemic violence and oppression by your silence. Stand up and speak out. It's ok if you're uncomfortable, that's how you know you're growing. Put aside your own fear to see that other people's fear is what's causing them to lash out. The Tower is an invitation to feel your fear but know it's not the truth. And then do what's right, despite that fear.

When this tower falls, be there to build a better one that shelters all people. Be there to build walls out of love, not fear. And today, in any way you feel is right, do something concrete out of love. Even if it's just saying a genuine good morning to your neighbors. ⠀

Each day this week as the moon wanes from full, picture your fear dissolving little by little. And in its place, see that there is love, that it's been underneath all along. By the new moon, only love will be left. What does that look like for you?

Empress Energy

When you keep pulling the same card, think, nah that's not applicable to me, better check another deck—and get that card again. Ok, message received! Gotta accept that I'm in Empress energy right now. Even if I'm not feeling creative, nurturing, beautiful, or at all worthy of being seen. Saying yes to her. To me. ⠀

New Moon in Leo

You have everything you need already inside you. 
Here in the dark of the moon, I asked what guides us when there's no light, no map? 

Ten of Pentacles is a rich life in every way, but it's also a state of trusting that you have enough and will always have enough. Lack is an illusion. Right now you may not be able to see exactly how you'll fund your dreams, but you don't need to know every step before starting. You can move towards your desire, trusting that what you need will come through for you. 

And Strength is here again, too. When there's nothing outside you to point the way, reach out and feel the way for yourself. You are enough, you have enough, you will always have enough. So keep going, keep expanding and evolving. The only thing stopping you now is your own resistance and fear, and you're ready to drop that.

It's time to go big, and step into creating the life you want. Know that you've got support all around you, and most of all you can trust your own strong heart.

August: Integration

I pulled Temperance reversed for this month. 
I pulled this card and spent a good portion of the afternoon thinking about how to share this message of integration. In the PCS image, an angel stands with one foot on land, one on water, pours the contents of two cups together at a sharp angle, and does all of these impossible things at the same time, effortlessly. She is entirely herself, the gentle master of all the elements of herself. 

Then I talker with my partner, Ian, about how I was figuring out how all of my interests and skills align with my purpose here, to understand a bit about life and bring that to other people.

In our talk, I realized that balance supports the whole. You can never really separate one thing in your life from the rest. I can never really separate who I am from what I've experienced, the work I do, or my relationships with other people. The key is being able to hold space for these parts of myself, bless them, and blend them. If I can integrate the parts of myself, I can help another person integrate. 

As the card right after Death, Temperance is also a wild rebirth. I had a life-changing reading with Lindsay Mack of Wild Soul Healing in January, and Temperance was the final card. I'm in tears now, realizing that it's come full circle. I've let die the old patterns and fears that held me back, and held me separate from myself. I'm ready now to live wholly from my heart, and serve with joy.

After talking with the beautiful Ian this evening, I felt like I had a new understanding of integration. I got home tonight and shuffled and asked if that changed the message for August, now that I've claimed integration as my work for the month. And Strength came up. A reminder to deal directly with my issues, hands-on, no matter what fear tells me. I am strong enough to live one true life in balance, and strong enough to help others do the same. And you, reading this, you are strong enough, too. May you be wise and wild and entirely yourself.

Full Moon in Capricorn

It's graduation day. The energy that's been at play since the beginning of 2016 is now finishing its cycle. Time for your work and ambition to pay off. It feels like everyone in my life is entering some new level in their unique field. And it's so cool! People are starting new projects, sharing their knowledge, being recognized for their work. 

The first half of the year was for us to find that soul-aligned work, trust it, and see the space and opportunity open up for us to do it. Now that we've figured it out to this point, we just have to keep moving ahead. It's like one of those old auto-scroll nintendo games: the world itself is pushing you along. You've acclimated to the new tougher pace, and maintaining it feels doable, because you've grown so much this year. Take a moment to remember how this work felt in January. Had you even imagined it then? Did you think you'd get this far by now? Give yourself credit for how far you've come. And take a deep breath--even bigger things are on the way.

Half Moon in Libra

What if balance was represented not by a set of scales, but by a big round boulder, supported by rock chips tucked underneath to keep it steady?

Give yourself what you need to balance your life as a whole, rather than trying to break up your time and attention to fit into arbitrary boxes labeled "work," "home," "play." See how all the elements of your life are part of the same thing, and your thoughts and actions can lift up that boulder and keep it steady.

Start thinking of yourself, your life, as an indivisible whole, supported by what you do each day. And from there, you can bring balance and support out into the world.

Hope in Heartbreak

In the wake of all of this bloodshed and heartbreak, I feel an unexpected thing: hope. 
I feel hopeful, because the heartbreak that so many of us feel is is a powerful catalyst for change and healing. 
Hope isn't wishing for some outside force to fix things in the distant future. It's realizing that our inner force is enough to start fixing things right now. This healing is not going to be easy, it's not going to be pretty, but it is definitely within our power. 
So let's take these new cracks in our heart, put our fingers inside, and break our hearts all the way open. There is no room for fear, avoidance, or hate. Let the change start with you. 
Give yourself the compassion and care you need. Examine your prejudices. Be actively kind to other people; see them, and hear them. Don't become complacent, don't forget, don't ignore, don't be silent. Especially those of us who are white, because that gives us the privilege to speak out in relative safety. Leverage your privilege. When you see injustice, it is your responsibility to change it. 
If you can't find the words on your own, please amplify black people's voices right now. Share articles, donate to victims' families, show up at protests, and contact your elected officials. 
You can't change the whole world all at once, but you can start the change. You must participate, and you must start now. 
I love you, I see you, I hear you, I believe in you. 
http://contactingthecongress.org/ 
https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials

New Moon in Cancer

[This is part of my monthly reading for myself, that I felt I had to share. It ties in so much with the energy of this moon. Hope it helps you. ❤️🌑🦀] Strength in vulnerability, that is your natural state. Allowing yourself to be open and gentle and in that natural state is your power, and it's what allows you to connect with other people and help them heal. You don't have to "master" yourself by tamping down your emotions to get there, just take a minute to get calm and centered, and you can tap into that state any time. You can just be in the flow of it.

Vulnerability is a powerful form of self care. It's saying, I accept myself completely, and there is no possible reaction anyone else could have that would shake my love for myself. I trust myself so completely that I don't need to seek outside validation, I simply offer what I have. When you release your expectations for any particular outcome, you allow yourself to say yes, take chances, make mistakes. You do something because it feels in alignment for you, not because you're trying to control circumstances or people. 

Vulnerability doesn't mean that other people will be able to hurt you or manipulate you. In fact, it makes you pretty much immune to bullshit because you're putting your whole self out there, with no shame or vanity for anyone to play on. Rather than opening yourself to harm, you'll be opening the way for other people to find their own way to healing. People will think, why is she happy and calm and unfuckwithable? How do I get that way, too? And after all, aren't you this way because you saw someone else's happy, calm, aligned example, and thought, I want to live that way, too? It's possible for everyone. This is our natural state.

Back in Action

After last week's quiet but intense energy, we're ready for some ACTION. The Knight of Wands brings a surge of creative energy that is moving through us whether we're ready or not. It might feel like the urge to run, dance, sing, sketch, or write at a frenetic pace. Especially if you're at a desk today. Make time to move through this energy today. If you try to block it, it'll come out as frustration, stress, losing your temper, or the unshakable desire to be anywhere but where you are now. This energy is pure creative juice and it has has to flow, so write or draw everything that comes to mind. Just let it out, and don't try to make sense of it just yet. Today feels like you can do everything all at once. Put pen to paper, and go!

Solstice and Full Moon

SOLSTICE: Queen of Swords.
This summer brings out the need for clear, direct communication, facing your truth head on, and saying it exactly how you mean it. You can experience thoughts and emotions that are not the truth (like feeling not-enough, or thinking that someone is judging you, etc). But as you're experiencing these thoughts and feelings, you will recognize that they're not true, that you can let them happen without letting them move you one inch from your truth. 

FULL MOON: The Hermit, reversed. 
The solitary part of the journey is over. Come up for air after deep inner explorations and bring all that you've learned into the world. You're here because other people need you; you've done this work on yourself so you can bring it to other people, too. You'll always have to revisit the hermit's cave as your journey continues, but remember to balance your outer actions with your inner ruminations. Walk your talk.

Together, this is a clear call to get out there and act on your soul's truth, whatever it may be. The world needs you to BE you, full-on, exactly how you are. Every time you speak the truth of who you are, or practice the job you're here to do, you're opening the way for others to do the same. And in turn, they'll support you as you continue on your path.

Brave Communication

Brave communication: The Son of Swords brings double air energy, thinking about thought processes, talking about ideas. Metacognition. And here, it's grounded by Strength. That means all this communication is about the real, deep truths about who you are, not a frivolous chat or shooting the breeze. This is the time to say what's real, to put your true thoughts out in the open, and to practice what you preach.

Here's the thing, though. These are both warrior cards in their own ways. It's hard to come out of hiding, and you'll have to draw on your inner strength to carry through. You'll be clearing the air but it may not feel great, and people may not be ready to hear you. Again this is where you tap into your strength, and know that you won't get anywhere by forcing your point. The other side of Strength is gentleness. There's no benefit in being confrontational just as there's no benefit in sugar coating anything. Just trust your timing, and trust yourself.

Spirals

I keep pulling the Judgement card for myself lately. It's like the universe is saying, you know what to do, do you need to hear it again?

Ok then, here's the lesson: 
Just as you cannot control death, you cannot control rebirth. When you're called to rise, you have no choice but to rise. The only choice is whether you accept your path with grace and joy, or whether you try to resist and get dragged along. Either way, it's happening. Might as well surrender to it. I keep seeing messages of transformation, growth, snakeskin-shedding, spirals. And I'm scared. I'm touching something bigger than I ever thought, and it's part of me. I trust that I won't be called to anything I can't handle, but what does it mean if I CAN handle this big mystery? What happens to the ways I've kept myself small? What do I do when I can't see the way forward but I have to go anyway? What gets lost in the transition?

To all those questions, the answer is, I don't know. I don't need to know right now. All I can do is choose to trust my guidance and myself, and accept this call.

Many Moons Workbook

Welcome, Many Moons! I think you'll fit in just fine. Thank you, Modern Women, for making these awesome books! 

Deck Interview: TWU Animal Spirit

Getting to know The Wild Unknown Animal Spirit deck.

What's your role? Cobra. The inner teacher. Patient, wise, ever-present. Connecting to that inner wisdom, being open to learn and teach. 

What do you bring me? Peacock. The beauty of assimilation, "digesting" experiences so I can let go of past pain. That peaceful beauty resides within and radiates outward. 

What will you help me bring to others? Otter. Bubbling joy and play without doubt or worry. Playfulness as reverence for life.