New month. New deck. The Urban Tarot by Robin Scott. Not entirely new to me as I bought it a while back (after dreaming about it, sort of… a story for another time perhaps) but I’ve just been letting it sit with me for a while, checking it out every now and then. Keeping it perfectly in order.
But now it’s time to shuffle and deal.
October is my month and my looming birthday will just coincide with the upcoming new moon in Libra. It’s always an energetic, high vibe time of year for me and it feels like a good moment to get creative, set some intentions for the year ahead and also get to know this deck.
So, I’m going to join @GlitterbyInk and @LivingJivaWell for the creative #Actctober2021 challenge offering a daily word prompt for the question ‘Today, how can I act with___________?
By join, I almost certainly mean dipping in and out because, life, motherhood, work, Netflix… Nevertheless, here I am starting with all best intentions on day one.
The prompt: Today, how will I act with gratitude?
Conscious draw – The Star XVII
As my conscious draw for the prompt today, I initially thought of The Sun, Ace of Cups and 6 of Pentacles. I also considered pulling out the 9s and 10s of Cups and Pentacles, but it seems that I am still caught up in my Star Moment for right now as there she was front of mind and then right in front of me. Funny that.
And this particular Star card was one of my main reasons for buying The Urban Tarot (again, more of that later perhaps), so I went with it.
The Star reminds us that we have to be in a place of self-acceptance and hope to experience and attract abundance in our lives. And any ‘super-manifestor’ worth their salt will also tell you that you must have an attitude of gratitude in order to attract all the good stuff to you in life.
Gratitude and abundance work together, one amplifying the other, on some kind of cosmic sliding scale.
For the second card, I let the deck decide.
Unconscious draw – 7 of Pentacles [Reversed]
In the Thoth tradition, The Urban Tarot key for 7 of Pentacles is FAILURE. Eeek. Nobody really wants to see THAT sitting next to the lovely bright, shining and hopeful STAR.
But, of course, there’s a message in this card combo…
This 7 of Pentacles is kind of dark and oppressive… it’s hard work, a bit like wading through treacle. In this version, the lights have gone out across the city. It’s a blackout. A little disturbing. A bit scary. You could lose your way, fall down or disappear altogether in the dark.
Perhaps it would be better, safer not to venture out at all.
You could lose everything. All that you’ve worked for and invested in.
Alternatively… you screw up your courage, channel your ambition and persevere. Keep going in the face of fear and adversity.
This is the lesson that the 7s can bring – the positive energy of Netzach, 7th Sephira on the Tree of Life – endurance, perseverance, resilience, commitment and victory.
Today, how will I act with gratitude?
Don’t fear failure, but embrace it. It is the fear of failure that holds us back. And when we hold back of course failure on some level, in the long run, is almost inevitable.
After failing, or falling, we must pick ourselves up and rebuild. But this time stronger and wiser. More resilient. Reinforced. And The Star shows us the light – where to aim for next. She encourages us to keep putting ourselves out there. To keep hoping and dreaming and trying and failing. And trying again and ultimately succeeding.
The Star represents hope in the darkness. She inspires us to persevere and follow our dreams.
So, today I am grateful for my mistakes and failures.
They may have brought me down (ashamed and fearful) in my past but they have also brought me to my here and now, with renewed determination, and for that I am grateful. I cannot regret a thing. Bad decisions, failed relationships, opportunities wasted.
I am a stronger and more resilient version of myself for having failed and fallen. And with more understanding, self-love, forgiveness and acceptance every time I get back up again.
I do not fear failure. I am grateful that I woke this morning to limitless possibilities and opportunities to fail all over again.
And this is how I act with gratitude, today, and every day, by not failing to act through fear of failure itself. I show my gratitude by having faith in myself. I take my chances, put myself out there and follow my star.
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