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| This is the best photo I took on this full moon day. 😹 |
The full moon, which is the peak phase of the lunar cycle, symbolizes an outpour of energy and celebration for the wins that we have achieved so far. It is an ideal time also to reflect on the direction we want to pursue for the rest of this cycle. The spread that I did for this reading is different from the ones that I have done in the past. For this one, it is a six-card spread that complements with the full moon phase. 🌕✨
The first card represents what is being illuminated in my life right now. I got the Nine of Pentacles. Pentacles symbolize the tools and resources we possess, such as money, time, and connections. For this card, I see a confident woman surrounded by pentacles. The full moon phase and its energy seem to convey a message that I already have all the resources that I need at this moment. This actually aligns with some of my recent readings, making me realize that hey, there a lot of good stuff that are within my reach right now, and all I have to do is go and get 'em and use them for their purpose.
The second card I got is The Chariot, which represents what I am ready to release. This card highlights the habits, emotions, or situations that no longer serve me. This card always represented freedom and my thirst of adventure for greener pastures in places faraway. This actually compliments the first card. Why go to other places when all you need are already here in front of you? 😉I think I need more time to reflect on this message.😅
The third card represents what I have manifested. This card reflects the results of my efforts and what I have brought into reality. And the card is the Six of Pentacles. Just with the imagery, I immediately thought of the fact that I'm providing now the kind of life that I wanted for our pet cats -- being kittens for life! Having our female cats spayed really played a huge role. I'm always so happy to see them livin' the life! 😻Reflecting further in terms of the pentacles suit, well I manifested a lot of material things that I only dreamed of before 🎹📘🎮. And I am very thankful because of that.
The fourth card is: what truth do I need to acknowledge? This card highlights an important insight or truth that requires my attention. And I got the Ace of Wands. Wands represent skill and passion. This card is telling me that I must recognize that it is up to me; I am in control of my destiny (in a way? 😀). I have to recognize the truth that making a decision or taking action truly impacts how things flow in my life. This aligns with a lesson I learned today in an online course I took this afternoon regarding the concept of internal and external locus of control. To cultivate a growth mindset, one should possess an internal locus of control.
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| I also saw a diagram like this in the online course. Seeing the "things I can influence" part changed my perspective about things in life. (📷: positivepsychology.com) |
The fifth card represents the energy I should embrace. and I got the Knight of Swords. I am a knight, and I possess the skills that I need to go on. I am holding one sword, which means I should approach tasks one at a time. I should avoid overthinking and concentrate on just the task at hand, pouring all my energy into it until it is completed. This card is reminding me to do things one step at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed and burned out (which tends to happen to me 😅). Breaking down tasks into smaller, manageable parts will help. Before I know it, I will be able to finish everything I need to accomplish. This is the energy I need to embrace. Lezzgo! ❤️🔥
The sixth card represents the next steps in my journey, and for this spread I got The Tower. I feel like the card is sending me this message that I just have to continue with pursuing my goals. "It is better to be a soldier in a garden than a gardener in a war." I can't remember where I read this quote but the message really struck a chord in me. I always had it in my mind, which also became the driving force for me to work harder.
I drew a seventh card to provide additional insight on how I can move forward, and I got the Ten of Swords. This card may be warning me not to burn out and to pace myself. I have a tendency to overexert myself and to overload my to-do list for the day, even knowing that I may not have the energy to complete everything. 😅 I often expect a lot from myself, and this card serves as a precaution to avoid that, allowing me to preserve my mental health. This is a reminder that, as much as I want to motivate myself to accomplish many things and improve, I must prioritize my mental health. I need to learn how to pace my tasks and always leave room to breathe to avoid shutting down and experiencing burnout. This is a very valuable reminder, and I will strive to do this. 🙏
TLDR; I need to recognize that there are many things within my reach that are useful, so I don't really need to go anywhere. I have already accomplished many things over the years, and a lot of what I once dreamed of is now a reality. I must acknowledge that I have control on how things flow in my life. There is power in the decisions I make regarding how my life unfolds. I just need to pace myself, take things one step at a time, and continue moving in the direction of self-improvement while keeping my eyes on the goal. ✨
Happy full moon in Gemini! 🌕
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After my latest local trip, I wanted to relax and recharge myself and so I booked an appointment at Nuat Thai during the first weekend after coming back from the trip. Also I got this idea from my latest moon reading. I'm not really a "massage person" so this was a new experience for me to do this. 🙂 I chose their Premium Massage + Ventosa package. It was also my first time to experience Ventosa massage (those with suction cups). Since I really don't do massages regularly (and most of them I had in Lasema), I was feeling excited on how this would go.
The first thing I noticed was that the rooms were dimly lit to create a relaxing environment, and there were curtains for privacy. However, I quickly realized that I could hear the other customers beside me. At first, I found it a bit odd, especially since the customer next to me was male, and I could hear the small comments exchanged between him and his masseur. While I was not uncomfortable, I did find it a bit strange. I would think that they would separate the males and females in the massage area, which is what is being done in Lasema, by the way.
During the start of the massage, I didn't right away catch the question that my therapist was asking me. She was inquiring about my preferred massage level, which can be light, moderate, or hard. I chose moderate because I was unsure. It is common practice to communicate with your therapist if you want lighter or harder strokes, but perhaps the introvert in me took over. s😅 There were parts that felt a bit painful but tolerable, so I let them be. This was especially true when my massage therapist was massaging my calves. I just bore with the pain because with what I recall with foam rolling, if the massage feels painful, it means that the muscles are tight. Experiencing that pain is actually beneficial, according to the foam roller instructors I watched online, as it helps to loosen the muscles and improve overall well-being. That was my mindset, which is why I didn't comment on the massage pressure. 😆 I remained silent for most of the massage process.
The Ventosa cup massage was also an interesting experience. I felt the cups sucking my muscle and felt the pressure during the first several seconds, then after a while I didn't feel anything anymore. When I got home, I actually checked and saw that I did have circular marks on my back.
My therapist placed warm cloth on your shoulders and lower back when I rolled on to my back, which I found to be very relaxing. After the massage, I was given ginger tea, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I felt renewed and energized again!
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| mirror selfie at the restroom after the massage😆 |
Because of this experience, I now recommend doing this -- after a trip, go get a massage! Travel fatigue is real and so this is your way of pampering and reenergizing yourself. I would be interested to return to Nuat Thai, given that they handed me a loyalty card wherein I can get a discount after a number of visits.
I am glad I jumped on the gun and went to a massage!
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| I took this photo during the night of the new moon. 😀 (📍Rizal Boulevard, Dumaguete City) |
The new moon for this month happened in the Sagittarius constellation, which was perfect as it is my star sign and this phase happened on the first day of the month. The new moon phase symbolizes new beginnings and self-reflection, which aligns well with the things I wanted to give focus on during this time. I am now writing this in retrospect, and during this period I was actually in a trip with friends wherein I really took the time to let go of all my responsibilities (grateful I have work that allows me to do this 🙏✨) so I really had the time to do some reflections while listening to the sounds of nature (the wind, the rush of the ocean waves, the tweets of birds 💖).
Aside from those moments of self-reflections, I also got to experience a lot of new things through the adventures that we did during the trip. We did a lot of exploring, walking, and eating! I exchanged good energy with my friends and also with strangers during this trip.
I also was able to honor my physical body (especially my knees, that were able to endure all the walks, swimming, and climbing those stairs to the waterfalls😅). I am thankful that my body allowed me to enjoy those experiences. I was able to insert in my schedule a body massage (which was my first time to do it my own in a new place). It was my way of honoring my body for being strong throughout the trip. Although I have to admit I needed several days to recover (and as of this writing I am still recovering physically and mentally), I'm listening to what my body is feeling. I believe these were what the new moon taught to me.
I did my new moon spread during the first night of our trip. Good thing we had separate rooms for that night, because it would have been awkward for me to do the spread while they were there in the room. 😅
For this reading, I was still using the same spread that I have been using for my previous readings. Here's what the cards had to say.
The Problem is represented by the Four of Wands. The wand suit describes all the special talents and abilities that a person possesses. This is presented as a problem for me because I am experiencing a lot of guilt and self-doubt regarding my value in this world. And it was true, going into this trip, I felt like I was going into some kind of existential crisis. I feel as though I was not contributing enough to make a difference in this world.
The Root Cause is The Chariot. I interpreted this as my tendency to always chase after success. Because I am not satisfied with my current achievements, the thirst for recognition and awards just feels deeper and stronger. Because of this, I feel restless most of the time, and this fuels the problem, which is the self-doubt that I always carried with me.
The Contributing Factor is The Two of Swords. This card represents a feeling of being stuck in my comfort zone and feeling left behind compared to my peers. The Other Supporting Card is the Two of Wands. I'm feeling a lack of self-motivation to take action, and I have many hesitations about pursuing the things I truly want to do in order to achieve some of the long-term goals I have been targeting for the last several years. 😔
The Solution is represented by the Eight of Wands. I need to make a concerted effort to upscale myself and find a mentor who can motivate me. This mentor should be someone who is already in the position I aspire to reach, allowing me to learn from their experience as I work towards my goals in life. Another Solution Card is the Ace of Wands. It is noteworthy that both solution cards belong to the Wands suit, indicating that I am already aware of my passion and what actions to take. I simply need to convert my ideas into action and seek opportunities to utilize them effectively, not only for my benefit but also for the benefit of others.
The Obstacle card is the Page of Swords, which represents perseverance and resilience. I must confront my inner struggle in being consistent with my actions that align with my goals. I need to practice self-compassion during these times. I want to continue reinventing my system to discover which process works for me as I continue progressing in the right direction towards my goals.
The Outcome is The Sun. I don't need to fret because I will be able to see the difference I am making, and will make, in this world. Things will unfold in the best way possible. I do not need to worry about it; I just have to focus on doing my best each and every day.
The Future is represented by the Four of Swords. This signifies that I will be able to move forward with strength and dignity, pursuing all the goals I aspire to achieve. I will succeed not only for myself but also for others and for the community as a whole.
How others perceive this struggle is represented by the Page of Swords (which is a repeat card, because I was using a digital Tarot deck during the reading). This card represents the ongoing obstacles that I am facing. People recognize my struggles and come to help me in various ways that might be obvious or not to me. This actually aligns with my previous readings, serving as a reminder that there are individuals willing to help me, so I do not have to have this mindset that I need to face these challenges alone. I must acknowledge and recognize that there are friends, mentors, and colleagues who are capable and willing to help me. I have to remind myself of that.
I feel like my recent readings surround this theme. Maybe I really need repetition because there are lessons that I'm still not learning. I'm all ears, Universe. 🦻
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The draft of this post has been sitting for years, and I am so glad that this review is finally seeing the light of day. 😅
Unnatural Creatures is a collection of short stories curated by Neil Gaiman and revolves around the theme of creatures that reside in the fantasy world. If you're familiar with Neil Gaiman's work, most of his novels have a dark fantasy theme. Fans of Gaiman's works, like Neverwhere and Stardust, will be delighted to know that the stories included in this book collection come perfectly right up the alley of those two books. Unnatural Creatures satiated my hunger for imaginative stories that are dark, mysterious, and intriguingly disturbing.
This title was one of the books that I picked up during the Manila International Book Fair 2017 (I told you, this post had been in the drafts folder ages ago 😂). Before I had a Kindle, I used to go to book fairs and buy physical books. This book had a marvelous cover, and since Gaiman's name was plastered on it, it easily caught my attention. Well, I'm so glad I did purchase it. 😁
I brought this book with me during my coffee hopping escapades back then (OMG I was so adventurous before 😅). It took me some time to finish the book because it was thick! I carried this book also during that time I went to UP Diliman. I read it in the AS lobby after my language class (because I wanted to feel like a student again 🤣). Someone actually approached me and commented on the book. 💖
If I could describe the stories in this collection, they're like Grimm's fairy tales but darker and more sinister. I honestly think each story can further be developed and expanded to be a movie (or even a series!). I would definitely be watching each of them (hello streaming sites, here's a pitch for you! 😃).
Neil Gaiman has his way of getting under your skin in unexpected ways. That's what I like about his works, really. He is so good at creating a sense of mystery that pulls you in, and even if you sense danger, you continue. You just can't look away. Before you know it, you're already trapped and your soul devoured. 😈 You would truly think of the stories even days after reading them. At least that's how they impacted me.
It's been a while since I read it last, and I guess it's just time for me to pick it up again. It's the right timing also because I just attended my first ever online book club meeting today and it somehow got me inspired to start my own. So maybe we can have this book as the first ever review? Let's see! 😉
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The third quarter of the moon is all about letting go of what no longer serves you. During this phase, we reflect on the lessons we have acquired since the new moon. We identify which old habits, patterns, and energies no longer serve us and should be released as we approach a new moon cycle. As usual I am consulting the tarot cards for guidance, using the same spread from previous moon cycle readings.
For "The Problem", we have The Emperor. The Emperor card represents someone in power, someone in control, and someone who is confident enough to rule a whole country, as kings do. This card reflects my struggle with my sense of responsibility and my efforts to improve. I recognize that life is an ongoing work in progress, and we always strive to be the best version of ourselves. However, I tend to give in to my old habits, which hinders my improvement over time. I find myself inconsistent with my motivation and drive for excellence.
"The Root Cause" card is The Two of Cups. The Cups suit in the tarot card is all about emotions, and this card represents the root cause of my struggles with self-discipline. I feel as though there are always two versions of me in conflict. The first version is the disciplined and hardworking self, which prevailed during my elementary and high school years. 😁 However, I began to experience my "other self" during college, as I struggled with self-discipline, motivation, and consistency. Fast forward to now, the other version of me—the more laid-back and emotionally-driven side—often wins. 🥲 This creates a continuous inner battle within me. This inner conflict is also the cause of some self-sabotaging processes that occur internally.
The two cards that "describe the surrounding circumstances" are the Five of Wands and the Wheel of Fortune. The Wands suit represent the skills and talents we have been given in this lifetime. I interpret this card as the competition of the different versions of myself. I struggle to consistently be my best self. I recognize the lessons, but they do not always stick, and I unfortunately return to my old mistakes. I tend to judge myself the harshest, which feeds the arguments being made by the voice of my self-critic. For the Wheel of Fortune, this represents my desire to control things in life, which adds on to my daily struggle. Well, these are accurate as indeed these are factors that contribute to the root cause of the problem.
"The Solution" is The Magician. The Magician card represents a person who recognizes the skill set that has been given to him and utilizes all his talents effectively to give back to the community. This is why others find him incredible; he uses magic to make impossible things possible. For my situation, the solution involves knowing what I want, always planning to succeed, and being consistent about it. Supporting this card is the Page of Swords. The Swords suit can represent politics and relationships with others. This card emphasizes trusting myself, having confidence in the skills that have been given to me, and recognizing that I can also embody the role of a magician within the circle of people I interact with.
"The Obstacle" card is the Four of Wands. I interpret it as my struggle to find balance in dedicating my energy to productive activities while also ensuring I also step back to relax. It involves balancing tasks that need to be done alongside activities that I find leisure with. Before, I had this notion that one must choose between being a good student or enjoying life as a party person. However, as I grew older and met more people in my life, I learned that this is not really the case all the time. A person can be both responsible and at the same time enjoying life to the fullest. I need to strive to strike a balance between these different energies, as being overly focused on just one aspect will not yield positive effects in the long run.
"The Outcome" is the Four of Cups. This aligns well with The Obstacle card, which is also a Four of a suit. The Four of Cups represents emotional balance and stability, as well as an awareness of what I truly deserve and what I am fighting for. This understanding will lead to a greater sense of fulfillment in the long run.
For "The Future" card, it is the King of Swords. This card also aligns nicely in parallel with the first card, The Emperor. The King of Swords illustrates my triumph over my obstacles. I will be able to accomplish many great things because swords represent the skillset that we possess. This is a good card to symbolize the future of what I can achieve with this specific problem.
"What others see" is the Ten of Swords. Other people might find it obvious that I am struggling with something, and they may perceive that I am being too hard on myself due to my challenges. Because of this, they may empathize with me, even take pity on me, recognizing that I am making efforts to improve myself. It may also be that I am sending out energy for them to help me. As I have learned from previous readings, it is important to know when to reach out for help. With this specific journey, I will be able to signal to others that I need assistance, and people will be willing to support me in my self-improvement journey.
This is a very good message for me, and I am very much willing to let go of those habits that no longer serve me. 🙏✨
Paulo Coelho is one of those authors that I truly love. My first encounter with his work was The Alchemist. I have also read some of his other works, such as The Valkyries and Brida. Whenever I read Paulo Coelho's books, they transport me to a different mindset, making me reflect on life in profound ways. This was exactly what happened to me when I read his book, By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept. It had been a while since I last read a book by him, so it was refreshing to discover that I still resonated the same way with this novel. The story follows a couple who are searching for their life direction, making a choice between the call to the spiritual path or to the normal life... or maybe they can do both?
Over several weeks, I read and absorbed the book. Since reading a Coelho novel last, I have embarked on my own spiritual journey so somehow I connected to the book in a deeper way. It was comforting to realize that even though I'm not practicing a specific religion, the teachings stated in the book still resonated with the core values that I have in life.
Here are some of the notes that I highlighted from the book (thanks to this Kindle feature for making this so easy to do 😉).
📝 "The heart decides, and what it decides is all that really matters."
I see myself as a very logical person (which is further enhanced in my line of work 🧩). I feel like humans do stupid things when logic is thrown out of the window due to emotions. I know this is what makes us human, but yeah I just recognize the power that the heart has. If it decides on something, that's it. No more questions asked. 😅
📝 "Seek to live. Remembrance is for the old."
I would also describe myself as a person who is quite nostalgic; One proof of that is I still have a box of my childhood memorabilia at the bottom of my cabinet. From time to time (most especially during spring cleaning 🧹), I stumble upon that box and I relish opening it up to look at the items I used to play with when I was younger.
Another proof is the overall driving force behind this blog itself. My sense of nostalgia really shows on how I linger on travel memories as I go back to them and flesh out our trip details on each post (which by the way I'm so behind with my backlog 🥲). Don't get me wrong, I enjoy this process. But the downside of this is that I still get caught up in those past memories and forget to focus on the present. I feel a tinge of longing because I wanted to relive those moments again. However, this statement in the book is telling me to live the moment. It's okay to look back in the past... just don't get stuck in there. Which means I need to book my tickets for another trip! 🤣
📝 "Pitiful is the person who is afraid of taking risks. Perhaps this person will never be disappointed or disillusioned. Perhaps she won't suffer the way people do when they have a dream to follow. But when that person looks back—and at some point, everyone looks back—she will hear her heart saying, 'What have you done with the miracles that God planted in your days? What have you done with the talents God bestowed on you? You buried yourself in a cave because you were fearful of losing those talents. So this is your heritage: the certainty that you wasted your life.' Beautiful are the people who must realize this. Because when they are finally able to believe in miracles, their life's magic moments will have already passed them by."
This struck a chord in me because I have some things that I wanted to do that are still on the backburner. I recognize that I couldn't start because I was afraid of taking the risks. I was afraid to lose. However, I can feel some change happening within me. These journal prompts, those recent card readings, and these conversations that I'm having with myself, are all helping me reflect on what I really want. It's a lot to unpack actually because I have spent years hiding them under the rug. Slowly but surely, I'm pulling them out on plain view, and really reflecting on what courses of action I want to make.
📝 "If we do not lose contact with that child, we will not lose contact with life."
Over the years, I have recognized that I still possess a naive and childlike wonder towards the world, and I have this notion that it's not a good thing, because I am already an adult. However, reading this statement became a reminder to myself that that's totally okay. For example, I still feel the magic in the air during Christmas🎄. I know most adults become jaded and just see Christmas as another tiring period of shopping and doing a lot of errands. For me, I see it as a wonderful season of giving and celebration 🎁The festive energy is still magical. ✨
📝"LOVE IS A TRAP. When it appears, we see only its light, not its shadows."
I have not really experienced falling in love; I haven't been in a romantic relationship. I read that people who have high defenses and are reluctant to let others in are often those who love deeply. When they do love, they do it without limits. Reading this, I felt some kind of fear of falling in love with someone. It’s scary because it means you're not in control of yourself; emotions take full charge. I might have the tendency to see only the positives and not recognize the red flags. 😭🚩So yeah, maybe this is the reason why I'm still single. 😅
📝 "Some people always have to be in conflict with someone, sometimes even with themselves, battling with their own lives. They begin to create a kind of play in their head and write the script based on their frustrations. The worst part is that they cannot present the play by themselves, so they invite other actors to join in."
These statements certainly reminded me of something. However, my sentiments would be controversial, so I am choosing not to elaborate here. If you find yourself on the same page as I am, you will know what I am talking about. 🙂
I'm grateful to be able to read this book. I do believe that it's not a coincidence that I read this book during this time of my life. This book gave me a sense of direction in determining my life purpose, my north star. 🌟 I know I have listed a lot of quotes here, but the book has plenty of them. This proves that Coelho has a lot of wisdom to share with the world. I encourage you to pick up one of his works, any of them, and see how it can change the way you look at the world. It changed mine, for sure. 🌏
I have been using my Kindle Scribe for these journaling prompts that I have been doing lately. I thought why not upload them here so that it can be more accessible to me in case I want to read them again. So here you go. 😁
Prompt: How has your relationship with your parents change over the years?
Prompt: What's your stance on strict parenting?
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I have yet to see the moon in person this month. Come to think of it, I haven't had the time to even look up and just stare aimlessly at the sky. I blame it on my schedule, and the current location where I'm at is not really that conducive for some kind of sky watching. Hmm hey look at me, I think I'm just blabbering excuses. If I really wanted it, I would find a way. 😅
As I continue this practice that I have started since the first quarter of the moon this month, I am writing, this time, to celebrate the full moon in Taurus. According to Astrology, Taurus energy is all about stability and grounding, and oh boy, how true that is for this reading. Let's get it on. ♉
The Magician (The Problem)
Right before this reading session, I sat down and "tried to play" the piano. I have always been inconsistent with this hobby of mine, and as a result, most of the pieces that I want to learn are left unfinished and then I move on to new pieces. I wanted to learn Celesital Serenade (Love and Deepspace OST) and Coffee (Chappell Roan). I got my hands on the music sheets of both songs. For the first one, and with just the first measure of the score, I felt overwhelmed and switched pieces. 😅
This scenario was the first thing that came to mind when I saw the card. Then I realized a pattern. I have come to describe myself as an autodidact. And the learning just goes on and on, because the world is your oyster, right? 🦪 In this card spread, I guess this surfaced as a problem because I feel frustrated and overwhelmed if I become unsuccessful in teaching myself something.
The King of Cups (Root Cause)
This card depicts a man wearing a crown, with a glass of martini in his hand. He is sitting on a throne, and he's giving a fulfillment kind of energy. I would think he has accomplished something big and so he is in a celebratory mood. This seems to be a positive card, but since it appeared as the root cause for this spread, I'm interpreting it this way -- I always have this drive to accomplish and fulfill a lot of things in life, that's why I really go out of my way to learn new things. I have heard a lot of people tell me that they see potential in me on something. Well, I'm tired of hearing that statement. I want to finally convert that potential energy to kinetic energy (LOL) and to actually accomplish something tangible into the world.
The Nine of Cups & The Wheel of Fortune (Things That Contributed to the Root Cause)
I used to feed myself with a lot of narratives about myself, most of them self-deprecating.
"I'm not skilled enough. This is why I still have not received my next level promotion at work. I need to try harder."
"I'm a shy person. I don't talk enough."
"I'm a person with low self-esteem because of the traumas of my past."
"Nobody finds me attractive enough to be pursued seriously."
See, it's all negative talk. Looking at the Nine of Cups card, I saw myself as that person with those glasses as the poisons that I am forced to feed. Meanwhile, the Wheel of Fortune represents life's unpredictability. I'm in my stage of my life wherein I feel like I'm at the edge of a cliff, anxious that someone/something will push me off and I will fall to my demise. There's an uneasiness that lingers every day, and it does make sense with my current situation. You see, the Universe knows how grateful I am to have my parents around. They are my pillar, my support, and also the anchor that pulls me to survive. My world revolves around them (and my cats, I guess?). I recognize that both of them are in the dusk of their lives already and each day I spend with them is a gift from the Heavens. It's reality that I will outlive them (most likely, unless...). When that happens, I will be alone. I will outlive even my cats. That feeling of dread, facing that situation, overwhelms me.😔(And this is why I feel it to the core of my heart when I sing John Mayer's Love Song for No One in the karaoke🎤. I'm tired of being alone, so hurry up and get here 😹😿)
These two factors -- all the negative talk and my life situation -- are the driving forces why I aspire to learn a lot and accomplish a lot of things in life. I am changing the stories that I'm telling myself by doing activities that will allow me to upskill to the next level. I want to become self-sufficient because I need to be miss independent (while waiting for my husband to enter my life 😅). I recognize that having to-do lists each day is my coping mechanism to have a sense of control in my life. This is my way of feeling secure.
Ace of Wands & The Six of Pentacles (The Solution)
Whew. I felt like I unloaded a can of worms there. 😅 Good thing is that the cards offer a solution. 😁 These two cards are telling me to identify and reflect my life compass. What is my "north star"? What do I want to get out of this life? I need to establish this with myself so that I could evaluate which achievements align with my life purpose. Also, regardless of what I find during this reflection, I have to always include the goal of giving back to the community. We humans are mortals and have limited time in this world. The simplest gift I can give is showing acts of kindness to others. If there's a way for me to make one person's life easier, let me be an instrument. Besides, we are all just specks of dust in this vast vast universe, with a lifespan of just a blink of an eye compared to the stars. The most I can offer is just be kind to others as we all walk this journey of life. Through these spectacles, life will become more fulfilling for me. On my deathbed, I will be confident to declare that I had a life worth living.
Ten of Wands (The Obstacle)
My overly self-critical inner voice will be in the way. I might feel discouraged with achieving my goals. Also, I have a tendency to do all of the things on my own. I have to learn where my boundaries are and ask help from others if needed. I can't do all things on my own, and I have to recognize that there are people that are willing to help.
The World (The Outcome)
The card depicts a girl holding a globe. You go girl! You got this! I feel that the card's message is that I will be okay. Things will be alright in the end. Things might feel uncertain right now but when I get to this place and look back, I will recognize and connect the dots that led to my success. I will become grounded and connected to my life purpose.
The Ten of Pentacles (The Future)
The pentacle suit alludes with earthly resources like money. So when I saw this card, I immediately thought --- I will become rich! 🤣If having tons of money will allow me to give back to the community, I will own this destiny! 💸💸💸 Lots of people want to be rich, but it's also worthwhile to think about the "why", right? Also aside from money (LOL), I'm receiving this message that I will reap the fruits of my hard work, and that is really a reassuring thought. 🙏
Nine of Swords (How Others See This Situation)
I would say that people will have opinions about a mid-30s childless cat lady. With no potential husband or even a boyfriend in the horizon, you can just imagine what bunch of questions get thrown at me during family reunions. 😅 Thankfully, I'm learning about the skill of artful dodge in Toastmasters. That will surely be helpful during those conversations.
I have several action points with this reading, huh. The outstanding one is determining my "north star." 🌟 I really have to think about that one. As always, I'm grateful for the opportunity to reflect on these things. ✨
[EDIT: The night after posting this, I saw the moon. 🥰 I woke up in the middle of the night and happened to turn my head towards the window. And there I saw Luna, shining majestically in the sky. I saw her through that gap between our house's and neighbor's roofs. It was a serendipitous moment. What were the chances of me waking up during that few-minutes window time that the moon was peeking through that gap? It surely felt so magical. ✨]
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| Tokyo Tower selfie 🗼✨ |
I was on a magical high enroute to my last destination in Tokyo. Yes, I have saved the best for last - Tokyo Tower! 🗼As an avid fan of the animes Cardcaptor Sakura and Magic Knight RayEarth, this is a must-visit spot when in Tokyo. 💗
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| First close glimpse of the tower |
I still had to walk a few blocks to the tower from the nearest train station. Well, it was not really difficult to locate it. Amidst the skyscrapers of Tokyo, you definitely won't miss this one (still with some help from Google Maps on which street to go to. 😁).
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| Selfie with the tower 😆 |
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| It's so beautiful! I can look at it all day. And there's the moon! If it happened to be a full moon, I would be able to reenact that episode in Cardcaptor Sakura, because I already have the Clow Book with me. 😁🗼🌒 |
The scenery at the foot of the tower was like a festival. I can now see fellow tourists who are also visiting (from this point before, I was the only tourist-looking person walking along the street 😂).
My ticket was for the main deck of the tower. I believe (if I remember it correctly), there was an exhibit at the top deck that's why it's not open for the public to visit.
Even though the line to the elevator was long, I only had a short waiting time. The staff there were very efficient in doing crowd control for the people lined up. After a few minutes, I set foot at the main deck of the Tokyo Tower! There were tiles near the edge of the deck that were clear so you can see the sights at the bottom. Just look how high it was!
I was so happy that I was able to get to the tower by sunset. I really wanted to have a view of the Tokyo skyscrapers with the setting sun as the backdrop. It had such dramatic scenery. It was also the perfect atmosphere for me to wrap up this wonderful trip in this wonderful city.
Since there wasn't really much to do in the deck but to look around the view, I spent most of my time absorbing the details of the scenery and also did a bit of people watching. I remember I heard an elderly couple who were speaking Filipino (not sure if they are the ones pictured here hehe). Maybe I was too isolated for so long (😆), I had the guts to talk to them and volunteered to take their photo. We did some small talk. They thought I was staying in Tokyo and working there, but no (how I wish!), I shared with them that I was only there for a vacation and I'm already returning home the next day. They asked if I wanted to have my photo taken, but I politely declined. 😅 It was a nice little interaction that really stuck with me. 😊
There was a little cafe at the deck. I passed the time by staying here and ordering coffee. I can't remember what I ordered, but the reusable cup is still here with me. I used it as a pen holder. 🖊️
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| mirror illusion |
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| the sun has set |
It was fascinating to see the lights, inside of the buildings and the cars, to turn on one by one. Shortly, the scenery transformed to night time. 🌃
This was really a serendipitous moment of the trip. I spent my time quietly reflecting my overall experience throughout the days that I spent in this city. I sure did a huge leap of faith to come here alone. There were a lot of first times, memorable encounters, and adventures that I will take with me for the rest of my life. I just couldn't believe that this "dream sequence" is close to its ending.
As I went down the tower and looked up, I'm mesmerized with the view from the ground. Tokyo Tower was so gorgeous that night. Plus, there's the moon shining so bright! ✨
I couldn't believe I was already leaving tomorrow. But I told myself I shouldn't be sad really, be happy and grateful that all of these happened. 🥹
Ever since I started reading cards (which started with Clow Cards and transitioned to the Phantomwise Tarot cards), it became my tool for self-reflection. It's a form of a conversation with myself, unveiling some issues that I didn't know I had. I found out that it's an excellent way to ground myself and listen to my thoughts, being more in tune with the wisdom of my "higher self".
Since the new moon of this month, I declared an intention to go through the lunar cycles and reflect on my life alongside the phases of the moon. In my current state of life wherein sometimes I fall into a rut, I needed tools to get myself back up. Just like how Martina of KingKogi (one of the YouTubers that I follow) calls this process, I have to build my own ladder 🪜. I have to learn to look after myself, else I would just drown in my thoughts, which will not be a good thing, believe me.
"Life flows in phases." That's a not-so-original quotation, but I am owning that and making it my current life theme. I thrive, I make mistakes, I learn, I reflect. Rinse and repeat. This is just like the moon that goes through each of its phases every month. 🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘
And so I am beginning this practice for the first quarter moon of November, which happened on the first Saturday of the month. I shuffled my tarot deck, with nothing really particular in my mind. I was open to what the Universe would say to me.
There it was -- the first card was the Two of Cups, two cute rabbits facing each other, sitting each in its own cup. With this card's symbolism, something came to mind. I started to think about this one friendship. And bam, feelings suddenly flooded. As I continued reading the cards, I realized that this thing had been bothering me for some time now. I didn't want to think about it, but my subconscious reacted to it unbeknownst to me. It also became clear to me that this was the root cause of my feelings of isolation and of sadness. I began to recognize that I had these unresolved feelings that made me feel lost and hopeless.
Now that I recognized and acknowledged this issue on a surface level, the cards helped me reflect on it and decipher the method on how I can face this matter. Events that happened after this reading also helped me further understand the message the Universe was giving me.
I learned that friendships have lots of layers, and it changes through time. This particular friendship has lasted for more than a decade and we have seen each other grow to the person that we are today. Our friendship is just evolving into a new one. I realized that the connection will always be there, it's just that it's a different color and texture now from the one that I am used to. And that is okay. One thing that I grasped now is that I had these feelings of blame that I wanted to throw out to the world, and that's where the heavy emotions were coming from. However, through this reading, I realized that in our situation, no one was at fault. It's just the natural flow of nature. We are both walking our own paths in our life's journey, and no one is to blame if there's a fork in the road and we had to choose different roads to walk by.
I also slowly understood that this is how adult friendships go. Different sets of expectations come with it. I realized that there are friendships wherein I can bond and connect with them one day and then become radio silent for months, and then suddenly convene together to play a board game one Friday night. It's still counted as a genuine connection because we show up and give them our time and attention.
Because of these realizations, my heart became at peace. There are no more negative feelings regarding the matter. You know one wonderful thing that I realized? I began to recognize that I'm not as "friendless" as I thought I was. I got friends whom even though I don't talk to everyday, they come to me for life advice so randomly, and me vice-versa. I have friends whom I couldn't answer calls or texts all the time, leaving them in the seen-zone most of the time, but once we get to a call, it's all positive vibes. This is the gift that I received from the Universe through this reading. That's just how adult friendships work. ✨
I'm so grateful to the Universe and to the cards for this message. I didn't even know that I needed to have this conversation with myself. I'm liking how this transformed my life perspective now, feeling the sparkling ripple effects it's doing for my overall energy. 🙏
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