Happy Sunday everybody! Since I have my main exam and the first day of my internship tomorrow, I figured it would be better to post something today. Something I have been thinking about for quite a while is to actually write a few posts about tarot and oracle cards. It's something I do quite frequently and something that I really want to share with you since it actually really helps and inspires me in my everyday life. So I thought it could perhaps be interesting for you, too. Keep reading for a beautiful example of one of my favorite tarot cards!

First of all, I would like to point out that I'm mainly using the tarot deck from "Osho Zen", but I have also tried oracle decks. The difference lays in the kind of insight the cards can give you. Tarot cards have very specific themes and are therefore perfect for giving a more detailed description of what is going on, whereas oracle cards are all very different and don't contain any themes, thereby providing you with a more overall insight and a broader interpretation. However, one of the most important things to keep in mind while using any of these decks is that you shouldn't expect them to tell you the future or answer any of your problems for you. Whichever card you get, it is up to you to give meaning to it by interpreting the message in your own way. The cards won't tell you what to do, they rather help you to understand your feelings toward the issue. In other words, the answer you are looking for is already inside you. The cards only show you the way.

Now, I thought it would perhaps be interesting to take a specific card as an example. A card that kept coming back to me over a long period of time is the card "Conditioning". I received it almost every time I did a reading and the message is just so motivating and beautiful that I wanted to share it in this post. As you can perhaps see in the picture above, the card illustrates a lion in a flock of sheep. According to the card, this lion was brought up by sheep and believed he was a sheep until an old lion took him to a pond where the lion finally got to see his own reflection. The description of the card contains the following beautiful message:

"Many of us are like this lion - the images we have of ourselves comes not from our own direct experience but from the opinions of others. We become just another sheep in the herd, unable to move freely, and unconscious of our own true identity". 

This card kept appearing during my first times using the deck. It made me think about myself, my dreams, and my actions. I have always wanted to share my voice in a way which scared me. Scared of what other people would think about the message I want to send out to the world. Scared of the opinions of others. Because, just as this card points out, those opinions create the image we have of ourselves. In order to find our true identity, we have to step out of our comfort zone. We have to do whatever it is we are afraid to do, without giving a sh*t about what other people will think, because only then, we can become a true lion. So, after considering what it is exactly that could bring me closer to my true identity, I decided to start my blog. I have always loved to write and it seemed like the perfect way to share my voice. The fact that I'm actually writing this blog post right now is really just me trying to transform my sheep into a lion. 

Even though I have been a bit scared to talk about certain interests of mine, such as tarot, it has been the best thing I've done in the last year! Once you open up about certain things, you will actually be surprised by the response you get. For example, I found out that some of my closest friends share this interest with me, even though none of us ever talked about it before! And those negative opinions I was so afraid of? Haven't seen nor have I heard any! Instead, the thing I was so afraid to do suddenly got praised and supported by others. And most importantly, it has made me come closer to my true identity, and that is something that no one should ever be afraid of. Go out there and do your thing! Don't be afraid of what other people will think, because that way you will never get to leave the herd of sheep. We all deserve to be lions. And lions will never let anyone stop them while going after something they truly want. So, be the lion you were born to be!♥

LOVE, Michelle