Tarot Sparks: #3

Spark #3: The Priestess

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Journaling Prompt: What do I keep hidden, private or sacred? Do I trust my instincts and intuition? Why or why not? What tools can I use to explore my inner depths?

Well if I keep it hidden or private, I'm probably not going to share specifics here, but I can generalize.  I try not to show the negative things in my life.  No it's not perfect.  *I* am not perfect.  There is yelling sometimes, feelings get hurt, there are misunderstandings, mis-communications... Life gets messy and painful and yet we still muddle through, and love and accept each other as is.  We try not to let it happen but sometimes fuses grow short, or we have too much straw on our camel backs, or we rush and aren't careful with our words.  I don't like to share that, and I sometimes try to hide it from myself, but it happens and all we can do it try our best and understand that is all anyone is doing.

I don't often trust my instincts & intuition because like my art, when I talk about them with other people, they are dismissed as nonsense, but the truth of the matter is that they are often correct, and I shouldn't let myself be swayed from my beliefs by people who know nothing about it.

I have been dabbling with tarot cards for a while, but have never really memorized their meanings.  I think most of the messages I get from the Universe come to me via the animal kingdom, insects and birds mostly, with an occasional furry friend trying to get the message across.  I think *they* the tools I can use to explore my inner depths.  By taking more time to listen, deliberate walks in nature, paying more attention to the wildlife around me, I believe can lead to better insights.

Which is why I chose the dragonfly for image for this post.  They are abundant in our yard and I am used to seeing them buzzing by, but they have been making it impossible to ignore them: zooming in then out the front door (something they never seem to do), landing near or on the steps or planter when ever I step outside, sitting on the back deck every time I look out the window...  So I looked up their message.

Dragonflies carry "symbolism relative to the subconscious, or "dreaming" mind and thoughts. ...and they ask that we pay attention to our deeper thoughts and desires. ... The Dragonfly lives a short life, and it knows it must live to the fullest with what it has. This lesson is huge for each of us." ~ Animal Symbolism: Meaning of the Dragonfly

The dragonfly spirit means you must consciously make an effort to express your hopes, dreams, needs and wishes.  [It] is the essence of the winds of change, the messages of wisdom and enlightenment; and the communication from the elemental world. Its medicine beckons you to seek out the parts of your habits which need changing. You can turn to the dragonfly to guide you through the mists of illusion to the pathway of transformation. ~ Dragonfly Tattoo Symbols & Meaning

This site also has a very good write-up on what the dragonfly symbolizes, and I just want to copy & paste it all, but I won't; I hope you'll be interested enough to click through, but if not, I'll summarize a bit. They stress the importance of the looking below the surface, discovering one's own purpose & identity, and changing your own self-perception.  And that is exactly where I am right now.

Don't forget, you can sign up for Joanna Powell Colbert's 22 Days of Tarot Sparks for free just by following the link: http://www.gaiansoul.com/join-us/