the ark animal tarot and oracle

The Dance of Delight and the Gift of Flexibility – Animal and Oracle Wisdom and Guidance

Posted by Barbara Techel

What do we need to know for the highest good as we move through this week?

The cards I pulled for us are from The Soul Coaching Oracle by Denise Linn and The Ark Animal Tarot and Oracle by Bernadette King

DELIGHT

Such a happy card! It feels like an extension of how I felt this weekend and an invitation for us to bring that into this week. As I turned up the wood chips and soil in the gardens around my home the last two days, I relished in how good it felt to connect with Mother Earth. 

I’d grown a bit weary of hearing about what a “new normal” will be and tired of the conversation each evening circling back around to the coronavirus. I’m not trying to sound as if I’m making light of it, because I’m most definitely not.  But I’d just reached a point of not wanting to take in any more information about it and what the future may hold or the theories that are all being investigated, not to mention the fear, bickering, and hostility that comes with this too.

As I puttered around outside and within my home which I’ve always enjoyed, it just really hit me how much I love and delight in the simple things of life. If that will be the “new normal,” I’m all for it.

I also caught a post by a life coach where she said that her nervous system is beginning to acclimate. And even though she stated it as acclimating to a “new normal” I heard it in my mind as a new way of being.

What the heck is “normal” anyway? What is normal for me, may not be normal for you. But where is it you really take delight in life? This is the time we get to seriously explore this if we choose. I believe so many became numb to what that is because of getting caught up in the adrenaline of “busy.” 

When I think of the word acclimate I feel that in my body as more peaceful and fluid which brings me into this space of being. It feels so much more satisfying than when caught up in the energy of what busy feels like.

So as we all continue to acclimate to this time of evolution looking at the two birds on the card which I see as doves and symbolize peace, I see this as an invitation to dance with the exploration of our hearts and what is it that makes us feel light, free, and delightful?

EEL

Our animal ally as we explore what delights us is Eel. I immediately saw the eel as smiling, not to mention the color purple which is so soothing and calming.

I then heard in my mind, electric eel. How electrifying it feels and all our senses light up from the inside, out when we are living from the place of what it is that brings us true joy.

The word flexibility on the card also jumped out at me. This is a time we are all being asked to be more flexible in how we move within the outside world. While that can feel constricting at times because it’s what we’ve become used to, the Eel so fluid as it moves through water invites us to find delight and joy in this new way of being not only in the physical spaces of our homes but also within our own inner world.

As we each participate in this expedition of how we each need to individually evolve, I see this more fluid, peaceful, and way of being as the gift that has the potential to positively affect the world at large around us. And being a part of that movement, well, I take great delight in being a part of that.

Much love and peace to you.

xo,

Barbara

 

 

Simple Tasks Guide Us into the Natural Rhythm of Life and Create More Peace

Posted by Barbara Techel

The question I asked for all of us this week: What is it we need to know as we continue to pause in this time of unknown right now?

Chop Wood #42: How symbolic to see the broom on the card with the buckets as we are all being encouraged to continue to sweep away what we no longer need. We’ve had a few weeks now of following the ‘safer at home, sheltering in place’ and being with a myriad of feelings that have come to the surface. This may also include areas of our homes we are quite literally going through, cleaning out, and getting rid of what we no longer need.

While we can’t control what is going on in the outside world, we can continue to do what we can within our own spaces of our homes and minds. “Chop wood, carry water” is a saying I’m sure you’ve heard of. While it may seem tedious at times and we may find ourselves vacillating back to wanting ‘more’ this is an opportunity to pause and shift our perspective because we have nowhere to be right now. 

It’s these simple tasks we practice that will continue to help ground and center us. As we ‘chop wood’ not only will we feel lighter in spirit within the current moment and what is right here, right now, but it is also what we can then take with us as we move into a new world— which is still unknown right now. In other words, this time of pausing, learning to be with all that is coming up for us, then hopefully finding your way back to peace, is something we will come to see as a gift and how fluid life is and how so much of what we perceive as a struggle or the unknown is really just temporary. “This too shall pass.” We are learning to go with the flow even more now.

This line from the guidebook jumped out at me: “There are times when the big dream is meant to lie dormant in your consciousness so that you can pay attention to simple chores in your life.”

When I pulled the Chop Wood card I actually sighed and my body melted into my chair. There really is nothing else for us to do right now, but be with and care for what is right in front of us, which includes our inner world, and what is around us within our homes. This is what carries us to the next step – whatever and whenever that will be.

I know the reason I moved into feeling peace is because of my love of home has always been a value of mine. I love to tinker around my house, creating a cozy and sanctuary-like atmosphere. I enjoy the feeling I get after cleaning a room also – though there are times I dread having to do it – but then the feeling I experience after I’m complete makes me coming back for more. There is really something so satisfying in it.

My inner world is also something I’ve learned to appreciate and nourish over the years. The more I do, the more I find I can flow through uncertain times with more ease.

The animal guiding us as we continue to ‘chop wood’ is Octopus. When I think about Octopus I’ve always marveled at the beautiful fluidity of which they move through the water. The way all their tentacles seem to effortlessly glide through the water is so mesmerizing and calming to me – such an exquisite dance to witness.

We may not know where we are going or what all of this is about right now, but we can still participate in the dance of life by learning new ways in which we move through our days.

I appreciate the words on the card of ‘calm clarity, control over emotions, and self-compassion.’ The fact that we’ve all had to put many parts of our life on hold – or what we knew of life to be before the virus – if we are open to it and not struggling against it – we can discover and feel into the fact that this is what can actually guide us each into a more peaceful place within ourselves.

As emotions arise for each of us we each have the choice to practice self-compassion instead of perhaps falling back into old patterns of berating ourselves for thinking things should be different or judging ourselves for what we think we could have done differently.

We are truly all in this together. The more we can each be with what is coming up for us individually, working through it, and integrating it, not only will we be better off for ourselves, but for those around us. That self-compassion we practice floods our hearts with understanding and love, which then helps us to extend that outward to others.

Much love and peace to you this week.

xo,

Barbara

One-to-one intuitive guidance sessions available here.

Cards used: Wisdom of the Oracle by Colette Baron-Reid and The Ark Animal Tarot and Oracle by Bernadette King

Fox and Her Empathetic Face with a Message for Practicing Presence – Oracle Card Reading

Posted by Barbara Techel

This morning I was really pulled into the face of this fox as I pulled cards around the subject of practicing presence. I hope you enjoy the video of this oracle reading and guidance session I did for you. xo, Barbara

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