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Rowan

@the.winding.way

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Tarot and other content to inspire, empower and grow!

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I went for a walk along the Anacostia River Trail to Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and the tidal marsh on this wonderfully gloomy, drizzly evening. I hadn’t been since early July. Autumn is really setting in.

I met up with my wildlife friends and caught up on all the swampy gossip. Here’s the scoop. The deer can’t be bothered. The heron just said hello in passing. I met a baby night heron just setting out on his own and I found where some of my beaver friends had relocated to build a new lodge! You’ll see one of them swimming from the river into the swamp at the end. by @the.winding.way

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a day ago

#witchesdevilstudy by @sincerelyshannadee using the book by @rogerj.horne
#31dayswiththedevil

Playing some catch-up today…

If I loosen this chain by one link, what would change first?

Breathing room. I’d have some reprieve from the stress. But this would not be a solution, just a pause and time for rest. Soon enough I’d have to get back up and continue.

What does freedom cost me and am I willing to pay it?

Freedom would mean great sacrifices and the loss of what I spent decades building. It would mean sweeping change not only now but permanently. It’s unclear whether the trade off is worth it.

What does release actually ask of me?

Release asks me to leave everything and everyone behind as I move fully on toward something new and unknown. And this would require faith, which I struggle to maintain right now. It also asks for risks I’m afraid to take. In the end, I may be left with no choice.

—————-

Murder of Crows Tarot @roicorrado by @the.winding.way

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2 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to Peace Trust & Awaken

For those who are standing at a threshold of something new…

We may wonder what’s next now that this chapter is drawing to a closing. The past is familiar even if it’s less than ideal and there is comfort in what we already know. The uncertainty and lack of clarity of what’s to come weigh heavily.

Today’s cards encourage us to embrace this unknown with the open wonder of a child.

The past is a reference point that anchors us to the moment. Lifting that anchor destabilizes us. Yet leaving the anchor in place prevents us from moving on.

Today, let’s turn our eyes forward and trust the future, as we awaken to this new beginning.

I offer a short incantation to help us embrace this new beginning. Light a warm colored candle and speak out loud:

With an open heart and spirit free,
I welcome all that comes to me.
Let what has passed now fade away,
And light my path to a brighter day.
With hope and courage, I begin,
I welcome change and let newness in.

Blessed be, witches.

Thank you to our magical hosts: @glitterbyink & @nwitzcrafts

————
Happy Halloween Tarot @sonigravesartistry by @the.winding.way

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2 days ago

#witchesdevilstudy by @sincerelyshannadee using the book by @rogerj.horne
#31dayswiththedevil

What is the shape of my own binding?

My binding is like a wall I can’t climb over or find a way around. Right now I’m still struggling to see a way forward. Perhaps it will be as they say, “when one door closes, another opens.” But I can’t yet find that door.

As the 5 of Cups sagely reminds me, however, no matter how hard it seems, there are still 2 remaining cups containing pieces left I can use to rebuild. I need to keep those 2 upright cups in my sight.

———-
Deviant Moon Tarot
Mildred Payne’s Secret Pocket Oracle original indie editions
@deviant_moon_inc by @the.winding.way

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4 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to peace: wonder & listen

Today’s message is for those of us who may be feeling stuck and uninspired. We know the situation we’re in is not working but we haven’t yet found that fork in the road that may lead us down a path towards our higher self.

Even if we’re not yet in a position to move on, we can begin considering where that path takes us when we are ready.

Dare to wonder what’s next and let your eyes reach the horizon as you ponder. Allow your imagination to dream up all kinds of possibilities. Let yourself become untethered by self-imposed constraints. Listen to your heart and soul.

And when the time comes, dare to take those first steps on that new path.

Blessed be, witches.

Thank you to our fabulous hosts @glitterbyink & @nwitzcrafts

————-
Journey of a Lonely Soul Oracle Charles Harrington, Anna Majboroda
Horror Tarot by @abigail_larson @ariagmitter @author.minerva.siegel by @the.winding.way

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4 days ago

#witchesdevilstudy by @sincerelyshannadee using the book by @rogerj.horne
#31dayswiththedevil
What am I still giving power to by refusing to look at it?

I’m still giving power to my own role in it. Or better stated, by not facing the ways I contributed to it.

Recognizing my own part in how I got here is not the same as saying I deserve what happened. But it recognizes that I played a part nonetheless.

How did I make myself more vulnerable in the first place? How did my reactions unfairness make things worse? What could have I done to make things less harmful?

While I believe things were going this way regardless of anything I did or didn’t do, could I have avoided some of the worst it? Or better positioned myself to have a better defensive and offensive strategy?

Could I learn from more introspection or is that just unhelpful self flagellation at this point?

Sometimes spending time and mental energy going down the path of “what if I’d just done things differently” is more harmful than beneficial. Other times it’s useful so you don’t repeat the same mistakes next time. This time, there is no next time. So does it even matter?

——————
Bohemian Gothic Tarot 4th edition @bababarock
Wheel of the year @pandorawitchshop by @the.winding.way

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6 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to peace: honor, connect, gratitude

How can we best honor and connect to our own magick? How can we reclaim the powerful being we truly are but may have forgotten?

The High Priestess assures us that we don’t have to wait for sabbats, ceremonies or high magick. We don’t have to spend money or collect witchy items. Special clothes aren’t necessary. (Don’t get the High Priestess wrong. She loves all of this!)

We can make every day magickal through intentional living during ordinary daily life and simple rituals.

We can weave magick into cooking by adding our intentions as a sacred ingredient. We can stir and kneed and speak incantations while we cook to bring in the energy we want. We can clean with banishing spells uttered while we sweep, wipe and scrub. Placing photos, trinkets and decor we already own, flowers from the garden or other things we find in nature left in chosen places around our home create atmosphere, summon protection, and welcome benign spirits or thank a higher being. Wearing the clothes and accessories we already possess can draw the mood we’re after.

Living in gratitude and cherishing those we love is powerful magick.

Remember who you are. Remember your own magick. And live it.

What are some ways you can connect to your magick in your daily life?

Blessed be, witches.

Thanks to our magickal hosts: @glitterbyink & @nwitzcrafts

Seasons of the Witch Autumn Tarot @tijanadraws & @spiritelement spiritelement by @the.winding.way

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6 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to Peace: memory & magick

Our sweet Queen of Pentacles has a simple message today:

Remember the magick that is in you. It always has been and will be. Remember how powerful you truly are.

Our Queen offers a charm to awaken the memory of our magick:

Deep within, a spark still glows,
A quiet magick only I know.
Beneath the doubt, beyond the fear,
The ancient wisdom awaits me here.

I call my wonder, wild and free,
The hidden power inside of me.
By moonlit dream and morning sun,
I wake the magick, I become one.

My heart knows truths my mind cannot,
I hold the power I never forgot.

Say:
My magic is alive. My power is my own.

I call my magick by its name.
Awake, arise, let wonder be—
The magick I seek lives within me.

And so it is.

Thank you to our magickal hosts: @glitterbyink and @nwitzcrafts

Trick or Tarot by @ducksoupdotme
Earthly Souls and Spirits Oracle indie edition by @terrifoss by @the.winding.way

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7 days ago

#witchesdevilstudy by @sincerelyshannadee using the book by @rogerj.horne
#31dayswiththedevil

What limitations did I create even if I don’t like admitting it?

I allowed others to define my worth and I tied my sense of self to things over which they have control.

Just like the Witches’ Devil, with his many identities and facets, there is more to me than this.

Like the Queen of Wands, I am in charge of my life and take control of my circumstances where I can, and learn to accept what I can’t control, as well as recognizing the difference.

Like the Sovereign, I know my self worth and don’t let others define it.

Recognizing who I truly am and what I can make of my situation allows me to live passionately like our beautiful and powerful queen depicted in this image.

How can you step into your own power even while struggling with external challenges? Have you begun reclaiming your agency?

Blessed be, witches.

————-

Sublime Tarot by @nitasia_roland @urania_press

W.I.T.C.H. Oracle indie edition by @angisullins & @silastoball by @the.winding.way

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9 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to Peace: reclaim & transform

Can you reclaim your sense of peace by being fully in the moment, focusing on the task at hand and carrying out your activities, no matter how mundane, mindfully - by being totally present? Would shifting your attention to what you can control in the here and now, rather than what you can’t, reduce some of the stress and anxiety?

With a greater sense of peace and control over your current circumstances, would your mind become freer to plan your next steps with clarity? And might you also have the mental and spiritual capacity to start taking action on that plan?

Those early actions could build upon one another, gradually leading toward positive transformation.

Blessed be, witches.

Thank you our hosts: @glitterbyink & @nwitzcrafts

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Vampire’s Tale Tarot by @sashatarotdiva and @abigail_larson by @the.winding.way

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10 days ago

#octoberalchemy26 Journey to Peace: ignite

The Queen of Wands encourages us to replace sorrow and anxiety with more positive emotions. She nudges us to find or rediscover our passions and pursue them fully.

Our delightful queen doesn’t underestimate or disregard our distress or what may be causing it. She understands the pain is real.

She also knows that if we fill our lives with positivity, those things can help move aside some of the hurtful emotions and thought patterns, draw healing towards us, and make room for better things to come.

If you’re struggling to emerge from a period of grief or anger, can you find ways to refocus and reporient your energy? This doesn’t mean forgetting or downplaying what has happened and the impacts, but it may help begin a healing journey and ignite a fresh start.

Blessed be, witches.

Thank you to our wonderful hosts: @glitterbyink and @nwitzcrafts

Happy Halloween Tarot by @sonigravesartistry by @the.winding.way

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11 days ago

#witchesdevilstudy by @sincerelyshannadee using the book by @rogerj.horne
#31dayswiththedevil

Name one thing I’m not ready to look at yet. I don’t have to look. Just name it.

I am not ready to consider to carefully what may happen in the not-too-distant future. I believe how I respond matters as much as what happens to me. So thinking ahead is important. Yet…

So much is up in the air and I have no control over much of it, including the most sweeping, impactful factors.

For a while, I was trying to come up with various contingency plans, and prepare for what may come. Probably, I should still be doing this, but it got so distressful, I took a break from planning and trying to problem solve.

For the moment, I need to take it almost day-to-day so I won’t drown in what ifs.

————-
Murder of Crows Tarot by @roicorrado @loscarabeotarot by @the.winding.way

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11 days ago