June // D E A T H

I wanted to kick off updating the blog with a very special post in collaboration with my dear friend and talented photographer Ashley over at Charcoal & Ash. We've decided to make this a monthly collab where I supply the Tarot read and she supplies the image to accompany the mood. I'm so happy that this has come to fruition because I think her photos really capture a feeling, this month's photo 'Around the Bend', is no exception.

So it's a little bit of a different type of 'scope for this month, this month I pulled a card for all of us. A card which is meant to pin point the things ahead of us for June, the things we are meant to take a closer look at, with out judgement and, one step at a time, find solutions for.

This month's card is: D E A T H

There is never a need to fear when this card comes up. Death is not about the physical passing of someone or something. Death is about burying the hatchet, about letting go of what is holding us back.
We cannot expect to grow when we are holding on to old habits, old wounds, old addictions, hurts, loss...
We don't expect flowers and plants to flourish with no water, no sunlight, in nutrient deficient soil, do we? No. The same can be said for own personal development and growth, why on earth would we think that we could move on to anything bigger and better while we're holding on to baggage that we no longer need. Weighed down by negative things from our past or even our present is not conducive to any kind of success. So this month, I ask you to take a step back and think about the things you're still holding on to, what no longer serves you, what doesn't make your life better?
Take it slowly and don't beat yourself up about any of it, acknowledge it and then ask yourself, how can I let this go?
One thing I tend to encourage, especially during a waning moon phase (or the time between a Full and New Moon), is to make 2 lists..an "anchoring" list and a "letting go" list, when making each of them, really take your time and think about the things you want to let go of or that which you want to "anchor" to you. As you're writing, visualize how light you feel once you've let go of things, adversly imagine how happy and successful you will be with all that you are anchoring to you.
For example, the first lists I wrote went a little something like this:
Let Go of...
Self Doubt
Negative Self Talk
Procrastination

Anchor:
Self Love
Positive Self Talk
Happiness

Once you have completed your lists, take them outside and burn them one by one and feel yourself filled with positive energy and like the weight of the world is no longer on your shoulders.
Day by day work on fulfilling that which was on your Anchor list, if you're ever stuck or don't know what you should do, meditate. It sounds ridiculous...and there will be conscious thoughts floating around in your head but that's totally ok, ask yourself what you should do, and you will be surprised that even through conscious noise, you will find the answers...and in your heart you will know they're the right ones. Intuition is something that we all possess, it's up to you to keep it in use and to tap into it every day.
We must make space for new growth and sometimes something old must pass on in order for that to happen, there is nothing wrong with that. Consider it like Spring cleaning, you are clearing out the clutter to make way for the new amazing things that are coming into your life.
And as Ashley has so well captured, it's like coming around the bend where there was nothing but darkness but now there's an end in sight, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Always.

xx
-j.



**all photos are property of Charcoal & Ash and Secret Garden Tarot, do not reuse without permission**