u/caffeinetherapy

Hello all! Thursday for me means another interpretative tarot reading. Honestly, I continue to be intrigued and amused by the cards that I pull from my tarot deck every week. Today’s card is Temperance, signifying balance and a harmony of energy among the opposing forces in my life. Not quite a counter to last week’s Fool—encouraging optimism and a realization of boundless potential— but a gentle reminder to practice moderation at this stage of the year.

I also appreciated the perspective of examining and exploring what I can learn from my shadow self. He has definitely been an opposing force the last few years, and I’ve struggled mightily with reconciling that side of me with the person I wanted to be. I realize now my shadow self does not want to hurt me; rather, he offers me lessons to become a fuller, more well-rounded person, with a greater understanding of myself as a whole. This is a lifelong work in progress, but to achieve harmony (when I can) is definitely worth the effort.

I just finished The Elegance of The Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery— a sometimes hilarious yet very heartfelt philosophical look at human nature, at what of ourselves we hide from others and what it takes for us to finally open up. With, as always, a pleasant mug of coffee.

My collection isn’t massive as I like borrowing books from our libraries more than owning, so I tend to curate carefully as space is definitely a premium in my home. Especially since a decent amount of real estate is taken up by my terrarium builds! But together they create a soothing vibe. This bookshelf is in my bedroom and gives off a serene glow in the evening.

Hello! This week’s tarot card pull is the Four of Pentacles, reversed— indicating a letting go of (the chase for) material objects and the overall sense that “money/things = happiness”, and perhaps a shedding of emotional vulnerability and a guarded heart from prior trauma.

Over the years, I’ve been much more careful with what I choose to spend my money on. I’ve pivoted from purely material things in my youth to choosing to spend my money carefully on less physically-tangible/more spiritually-fulfilling life experiences, while curating the items in my home to achieve a sense of purposefulness (and let’s be real— aesthetics). The result has been, for the most part, a more restful home and lifestyle, having been unburdened of trying to chase the latest trendy thing.

I’ve also learned to let the walls around my heart down, after having experienced some pretty major life trauma a few years ago. Vulnerability is a scary, scary thing, and you risk (re)damaging your heart by opening it up. Mine has been a years-long lesson, one that I’ve learned to approach with humility and care. Of course, it’s still a work in progress, but it’s progress.

This week I’m reading Catherine House by Elizabeth Thomas, a dreamlike novel about a not-quite-likable MC as a student in a not-quite-traditional college where there are perhaps-sinister things afoot. I’ve been enjoying my coffee with a splash of oat milk lately, an unusual departure from my usual black.

Also, the background is a watercolor canvas that my daughter painted over an existing piece (hence the cool textures underneath). I thought it paired well with this week’s selection.

Have a great day everyone!

The first Thursday in September, and it’s time for another journal prompt based on a card pull from my tarot deck. This week’s card is the Six of Cups, reversed— suggesting a romanticism or nostalgia for the past with a hint of sadness, or being bored or stuck in old patterns and mindsets having to do with a relationship, career path, or life in general.

I wrote about my own tendency to fall deep into nostalgia and regret for things ending in my life. Therapy and the Buddhist concept of “impermanence” has helped me immensely to accept that life is made up of “seasons”, with the hope that one learns lessons as phases of life always have a natural end (whether we “want” them to or not). It’s okay to be nostalgic about the past, but it’s also important to be present in the present.

This week’s book is This Is How You Lose Her, a beautiful and heartbreaking series of shorter passages about love in its myriad and sometimes confounding forms, by Junot Díaz— and paired with a bright and floral pourover here at home.

Hello! This Thursday’s tarot card was the Wheel of Fortune— a timely reminder of the cyclical (and perhaps karmic) nature of life, complete with all of the ups and downs that will affect our journey. Do we believe in some sort of higher power that guides us through, or is fate what we make of it? Regardless of our beliefs, how do we utilize the lessons that we all inevitably learn? Accompanied by a tasty vanilla-ube oat milk latte and the final chapters of All the Birds, Singing— a sparse, brutal and completely engaging novel from Evie Wyld.

Hi everyone! This week’s tarot card pull/journal prompt was the Nine of Cups reversed— suggesting an exploration of any deeper dissatisfactions or frustrations with my life. There are so many things that I am happy or content with, but I still find that there is a search for a deeper meaning, something that I haven’t found yet... the question is whether I should continue searching despite my frustrations, or be content with what I already have and count my blessings. Accompanied by a tasty vanilla latte and finishing a really evocative and beautifully written novel from Elizabeth Brooks.

This week’s Thursday tarot card pull was the Three of Swords reversed. Lots to ponder here as it relates to my personal journey of healing from a past trauma— how far I’ve come and what I’ve ultimately learned from a very dark time in my life. Accompanied by a fantastic Gesha pourover at Papaver Coffee Roasters in Olympia, WA and an interesting novel from Marta Balcewicz. Have a wonderful day everyone ^_^

Every Thursday, I pull a tarot card for my deck to use as a journal prompt. Today’s draw was a good one! Pairing my writing today with a nice coffee from the Philippines, and will follow with reading another couple chapters of Ishiguro.

It’s been a great morning.

build details in comments!

Now I have the song stuck in my head. Not that it’s a bad thing.

haunted by this spooky fellow