ROC April 2015 - FLizarraga and Smiling

[Fortuna]

FLizarraga and Smiling's Thread

--------

Reading with Oracles Circle (ROC) - April 2015

Schedule:
April 26 (Sunday): Complete all readings.
April 30 (Thursday): Complete all feedback.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This month's suggested spread is called The Way of Tea by Glass Owl based on a tea poem by Chio Jen, and hopes to give you insight to clarity. You can find the original post [url="http://www.tarotforum.net/showthread.php?t=216783']here[/url]. The spread's layout is in the shape of a handleless bowl.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Way of Tea

A friend presented me
With tender leaves of Oolong tea,
For which I chose a kettle
Of ivory-mounted gold,
A mixing-bowl of snow-white earth.
With its clear bright froth and fragrance,
It was like the nectar of Immortals.


1----------3
------2-----


1. The First Bowl of Tea ~ This washes the cobwebs from your mind
The first bowl washed the cobwebs from my mind —
The whole world seemed to sparkle.


2. The Second Bowl of Tea ~ This cleanses your spirit
A second cleansed my spirit
Like purifying showers of rain,


3. The Third Bowl of Tea ~ This sets you free, allowing you to see a greater truth
A third and I was one of the Immortals —
What need now for austerities
To purge our human sorrows?
Worldly people, by going in for wine,
Sadly deceive themselves.
For now I know the Way of Tea is real.
- By Chio Jen (Tang Dynasty)


*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Important Notes:
1. If you would like to do a different spread, please keep it to 3-5 cards, and clear this with your partner beforehand.
2. Readers have final choice of the oracle deck used, but can allow sitter to choose.
3. For partners doing the Intuitive Option: After the oracle reading, please provide your intuitive impressions within the write-up or after in its own section.
4. Have fun and let's ROC!

 

[FLizarraga]

Hi Smiling!

Please let me know if you want me to focus on a specific area. A general reading is fine with me.

Also, feel free to use any deck that strikes your fancy. I might use my new Finnish fairy oracle, but I'm still not sure.

 

[Smiling]

Hi FLizzaraga!

Nice to be exchanging with you this month.

A general reading for you it is then, and I'll be using the only oracle deck I have - Medicine Cards. I'd like a general read as well, please.

Looking forward to seeing what we'll find in the tea...

 

[FLizarraga]

Your reading, Smiling

I decided to break in my Finnish fairy oracle, Keijuoraakkeli. The book is in Finnish, a language I am thoroughly ignorant of, so I just looked up the titles using Google Translate, and the rest is what I'm picking up from the cards. So here it goes.


1. The First Bowl of Tea ~ This washes the cobwebs from your mind

Luottamus {Confidence}

This is clearly a Winter card. She stands by a lake, surrounded by snow flurries. I'm not sure if the light that you see at the other side of the lake is the sun or the aurora. All is cool and beautiful. She wears a magnificent gown and seems not to feel any cold. Her blue wings are in repose, and she looks at us over her shoulder.

She is clearly resting, and yet we know she is capable of anything. Is she thinking about crossing that lake? Going over that mountain, towards the faraway light? I feel this card speaks less of dreams that of concrete plans. A decision is being made. It is not an easy decision, and it is a far-reaching one, but she seems unafraid. It is the rest before the journey.


2. The Second Bowl of Tea ~ This cleanses your spirit

Seikkailija {Adventurer}

A Fall card. The traveler sits on top of a balloon, wings open, amidst the clouds. I guess the journey has not been easy, with all those clouds, but she's unafraid. She wears ornate, funky clothes, with a style all her own. You can tell she's enjoying the trip, no matter the obstacles. The confidence is still there.

So I guess this is what comes next. It won't be easy, or it hasn't been, but it's still fun. It's not clear to me whether this is past, present or future. All in all, a trip worth taking.


3. The Third Bowl of Tea ~ This sets you free, allowing you to see a greater truth

Haikeus {Sadness, Wistfulness}

Another Winter card. She sits on a rock in a high place above the clouds, clearly a summit. It is a beautiful night, and the Moon blazes on the sky like a disk of silver fire. There is a torch by her, placed in some sort of pedestal, and a crayfish (another lunar symbol), so maybe those are not clouds, but a sea covered in mist. Her blue wings are also open, as if she wished to take flight, but she just sits there, melancholy, lost in her dreams.

I prefer Wistfulness for this card, just because I like it better. (Sometimes, complete ignorance of a language comes in handy.) I think she feels stranded. Perhaps she achieved what she wanted, and she did not find it as rewarding as she thought it was going to be. Or perhaps she was sidetracked and ended up in this solitary spot, as far from her origin as she is from her destination.

As a society we seek joy and laughter, and shun sadness as a negative emotion, yet sadness is necessary for our personal growth. Sadness needs to be embraced and explored, in order for us to become whole. It is a part of us, the yin to our lighter side.

So I see in this card an opportunity for healing, another, more mature starting point for a journey that has to be resumed. No greater truth can be achieved if we don't embrace sadness, even failure, and use it.

The fact that we began with a Winter card and ended with another makes me feel as if a cycle has been played out, and another opens.

I hope this resonates with you, Smiling. Please do not hesitate to tell me if it doesn't.

 

[Smiling]

Wow, FLizzaraga, what a gift of a reading! It resonates deeply, yes. I have a busy next few days, so plan to do your reading and feedback over the weekend, but wanted to send you a quick thank you!

 

[Smiling]

Here's my feedback ~

I decided to break in my Finnish fairy oracle, Keijuoraakkeli. The book is in Finnish, a language I am thoroughly ignorant of, so I just looked up the titles using Google Translate, and the rest is what I'm picking up from the cards. So here it goes.


1. The First Bowl of Tea ~ This washes the cobwebs from your mind

Luottamus {Confidence}

This is clearly a Winter card. She stands by a lake, surrounded by snow flurries. I'm not sure if the light that you see at the other side of the lake is the sun or the aurora. All is cool and beautiful. She wears a magnificent gown and seems not to feel any cold. Her blue wings are in repose, and she looks at us over her shoulder.

She is clearly resting, and yet we know she is capable of anything. Is she thinking about crossing that lake? Going over that mountain, towards the faraway light? I feel this card speaks less of dreams that of concrete plans. A decision is being made. It is not an easy decision, and it is a far-reaching one, but she seems unafraid. It is the rest before the journey.

I have been in decision-making mode lately, and feel finally ready to act upon so many ideas that I've had rolling around in my head about what I want to do with my life direction. I am still pulling together the details, so yes, the journey has not quite begun. But yes, I don't feel fear since I've prepared for it so well.

2. The Second Bowl of Tea ~ This cleanses your spirit

Seikkailija {Adventurer}

A Fall card. The traveler sits on top of a balloon, wings open, amidst the clouds. I guess the journey has not been easy, with all those clouds, but she's unafraid. She wears ornate, funky clothes, with a style all her own. You can tell she's enjoying the trip, no matter the obstacles. The confidence is still there.

So I guess this is what comes next. It won't be easy, or it hasn't been, but it's still fun. It's not clear to me whether this is past, present or future. All in all, a trip worth taking.

Well, 'funky style' I can relate to, since expressing myself creatively helps me to stay inspired, and that includes the way that I dress. And yes, even though there have been lots of tests for me lately, I still feel that life is a gift, and it is to be enjoyed.

3. The Third Bowl of Tea ~ This sets you free, allowing you to see a greater truth

Haikeus {Sadness, Wistfulness}

Another Winter card. She sits on a rock in a high place above the clouds, clearly a summit. It is a beautiful night, and the Moon blazes on the sky like a disk of silver fire. There is a torch by her, placed in some sort of pedestal, and a crayfish (another lunar symbol), so maybe those are not clouds, but a sea covered in mist. Her blue wings are also open, as if she wished to take flight, but she just sits there, melancholy, lost in her dreams.

I prefer Wistfulness for this card, just because I like it better. (Sometimes, complete ignorance of a language comes in handy.) I think she feels stranded. Perhaps she achieved what she wanted, and she did not find it as rewarding as she thought it was going to be. Or perhaps she was sidetracked and ended up in this solitary spot, as far from her origin as she is from her destination.

As a society we seek joy and laughter, and shun sadness as a negative emotion, yet sadness is necessary for our personal growth. Sadness needs to be embraced and explored, in order for us to become whole. It is a part of us, the yin to our lighter side.

So I see in this card an opportunity for healing, another, more mature starting point for a journey that has to be resumed. No greater truth can be achieved if we don't embrace sadness, even failure, and use it.

The fact that we began with a Winter card and ended with another makes me feel as if a cycle has been played out, and another opens.

I hope this resonates with you, Smiling. Please do not hesitate to tell me if it doesn't.

Yes, you're on target with seeing this as a cycle that has played out, since by now I have been through my last set of experiences related to 3 job interviews that went nowhere. And there are other parts of my life that have been, and continue to be, tested, too. For the most part, I've been able to shake it off, but had to deal with some, yes, sadness about it, and work on letting go. But I do believe everything happens for a reason, and have been working hard to see what lessons I am to learn from all of it. And a new cycle has already opened up, with new opportunities unfolding...

Thank you so much for your interesting and accurate reading.

I've already pulled your cards, but want to study them a little more before I post your reading.
Smiling

 

[Smiling]

Here's your reading, FLizzaraga.
I used the Medicine Cards by Sans/Carson:


1. The First Bowl of Tea ~ This washes the cobwebs from your mind
PORCUPINE 12

You are naturally a giving and trusting person, but this may have been tested so much that you have found yourself having to defend your position more than you like. Porcupine medicine shows that you can wash the cobwebs from your mind by getting more in touch with that gentle, playful side of your self that may be hiding under its sharp porcupine quills. Letting go of some seriousness, and allowing yourself moments to relax and let go, will help you get in touch more with your gentle spirit.


2. The Second Bowl of Tea ~ This cleanses your spirit
ARMADILLO 28

This shows that the way to cleanse your spirit may be to define your space better. Do you have resentments because others have crossed boundaries, doing things that you are not ok with? Stand your ground, and let others know your expectations so that you can both get more from the experience. You have a helpful spirit and others may have come to rely on you. But are you taking up other people’s problems outside yourself at the expense of yourself?
Armadillo medicine can teach you to learn to say no when it matters to you. Knowing and communicating what you want and don’t want will help to cleanse your spirit and feel renewed.


3. The Third Bowl of Tea ~ This sets you free, allowing you to see a greater truth
RABBIT 30

Rabbit medicine here is echoing what the other two cards have been saying, since it points to using defense as a cover, in this case for fears that you may have been carrying. You may be feeling stuck with some part of your life. Rabbit medicine teaches us that our fears are only as powerful as we make them. Dwelling on that which we fear helps to manifest and make it a reality. When they are identified and acknowledged, they can be swept away. Since thoughts are things, what can set you free here is to ask- what do you want to create for yourself?

You have the power to create a circle of friends, a circle of circumstances that can support you to be yourself, without the need to feel that you must either defend yourself or hide away. The greater truth is that we are creating our realities all the time, based on what we know at the moment. So what will set you free is to find the middle path, so that you can acknowledge your fears, release them, and move yourself forward.


In summary, when you honor your boundaries and release your fears, you may find that this will allow you to relate to the outside world in a more balanced way, without the need to overextend or retreat.

Hope this resonates, and looking forward to your feedback!

 

[FLizarraga]

This is great, Smiling, and it made me laugh seeing that both readings I have got this week are in sync --I got here Porcupine where I got 7 of Wands in the other .

I'll be working a lot till Tuesday or so, but I'll post more detailed feedback by then. Thanks!

 

[Smiling]

In sync? - nice! Sounds like clear messages for you, right?

Looking forward to your feedback when you get the chance; please take your time.

 

[FLizarraga]

Here's your reading, FLizzaraga.
I used the Medicine Cards by Sans/Carson:


1. The First Bowl of Tea ~ This washes the cobwebs from your mind
PORCUPINE 12

You are naturally a giving and trusting person, but this may have been tested so much that you have found yourself having to defend your position more than you like. Porcupine medicine shows that you can wash the cobwebs from your mind by getting more in touch with that gentle, playful side of your self that may be hiding under its sharp porcupine quills. Letting go of some seriousness, and allowing yourself moments to relax and let go, will help you get in touch more with your gentle spirit.

The first card of the COS reading I received was the 7 of Wands...

I have a tendency to feel encroached upon, which may have originated in real encroaching and may still have bits of truth to it, but by now is just the way I tend to see people around me, regardless of the situation.

And to top it all off, I am now in a roommate situation, with a very nice person who is not easy to live with. So yes, my armor is spiking up all the time, unnecessarily.

2. The Second Bowl of Tea ~ This cleanses your spirit
ARMADILLO 28

This shows that the way to cleanse your spirit may be to define your space better. Do you have resentments because others have crossed boundaries, doing things that you are not ok with? Stand your ground, and let others know your expectations so that you can both get more from the experience. You have a helpful spirit and others may have come to rely on you. But are you taking up other people’s problems outside yourself at the expense of yourself?
Armadillo medicine can teach you to learn to say no when it matters to you. Knowing and communicating what you want and don’t want will help to cleanse your spirit and feel renewed.

Better to be an armadillo than a porcupine. That in itself is excellent advice.

And yes, I do that. And then pay the consequences. Time to learn from the armadillo.

3. The Third Bowl of Tea ~ This sets you free, allowing you to see a greater truth
RABBIT 30

Rabbit medicine here is echoing what the other two cards have been saying, since it points to using defense as a cover, in this case for fears that you may have been carrying. You may be feeling stuck with some part of your life. Rabbit medicine teaches us that our fears are only as powerful as we make them. Dwelling on that which we fear helps to manifest and make it a reality. When they are identified and acknowledged, they can be swept away. Since thoughts are things, what can set you free here is to ask- what do you want to create for yourself?

You have the power to create a circle of friends, a circle of circumstances that can support you to be yourself, without the need to feel that you must either defend yourself or hide away. The greater truth is that we are creating our realities all the time, based on what we know at the moment. So what will set you free is to find the middle path, so that you can acknowledge your fears, release them, and move yourself forward.


In summary, when you honor your boundaries and release your fears, you may find that this will allow you to relate to the outside world in a more balanced way, without the need to overextend or retreat.

This is wonderful. It's like the trolls in Colette Baron-Reid's Enchanted Map: we create and feed those monsters that scare us, like we create a boogeyman from a coat hanging behind the door.

The greater truth is that we are creating our realities all the time, based on what we know at the moment.

Amen.

So what will set you free is to find the middle path, so that you can acknowledge your fears, release them, and move yourself forward.

I'm a Buddhist. So it's wonderful when I'm reminded to stick to the middle way. Enlightenment is not a static state, but a work in progress, hard work.

Hope this resonates, and looking forward to your feedback!

YES. Thank you, Smiling!