Introduction

[Do Do Do DO Do Do Do! Intro song]

Hey, there! It’s the Fern Hill Familiars here to talk about some journal prompts you can use, and you might even find that they are useful for Tarot.

Tarot as a Tool for Prompting

I find that journal prompts in general are suitable for discussion with subconscious, but if you have trouble gaining access to your subconscious or “quick mind” then you might find that Tarot — its symbolism either visually on the card, or upon researching the meaning in a book or on the Internet — helps you tap into things that are related to that which the card suggests.

Writing and Rethinking Words

OR of course, I’m a big fan of just writing: if you feel silly then write that you feel silly. If you have nothing to say but one word comes to mind, write it down! It doesn’t need context to resonate. Even if that word doesn’t ultimately carry value to you, you may find that it’s worthwhile — you will find that it’s worthwhile to sit with any given word that might come to mind and think about what that word means to you, how that word has been used at different times in your life.

Look up the etymology of the word, not just the definition but the history of the word. The more that we know the history of the language that we speak, the more we have the ability to but the power of words in our own hands. I strongly believe that language is magical, regardless of whether that’s a metaphor, it carries so much value with little weight physically.

Unwrapping Limiting Stories

Journaling, tarot, other forms of introspection, as Opportunity to sit with your Self. To tune into your voice. Knowing yourself better can be seen as a form of spiritual inquiry for those who feel comfortable with that wording. I prefer that we are the Uni/multiverse/Existence experiencing itself. With our bodies, and their limitations.

Lately I’ve been realizing yet more layers of myths I tell myself about who I am or what I like. Opening up to truth means, for me, acknowledging that while things may have worked to some extent in the past, I myself have changed and those old habits might have helped me survive in the past but now they may keep me from thriving in my current conditions.

Trigger warning: Disordered Eating Topic

I am learning to let go of lingering feelings of scarcity around food and the feelings of control I derived from having not only a strict diet for the sake of my food and general chemical sensitivities, but also the control derived from a tight food budget.

I am learning that eating well and eating cheap do not go together if I also want to eat enough. The x value that I spent on food in the past, a small number, needs to be updated with what my body needs and also rising food prices. I can no longer spend [only] that x amount per month and feel well.

Redeveloping Common Perspectives

This is a developing perspective on one very core ongoing aspect of my life, because I eat multiple times a day. I drink beverages that nourish me as well. So, by opening up to limiting beliefs on something that pops up often — everyday — I’m getting better at asking myself questions in a way that I feel safe enough to respond with further curiosity.

Previously, I have struggled with physically deserving to exist. I would judge my feelings and actions from the imagined perspectives of others who I felt had more right to live. Quote unquote.

The Key to Life Well Lived?

These other people seemed to have things figured out well enough in some way. Of course, the older anyone gets – I hope – the more you realize no one “really” has life figured out all the way. Maybe a person can become very good at projecting a social mask that is convincing. But truly we all have pain areas — if only from time to time — and I come back to the key to life being Grace.

Grace to have kindness towards ourselves, whose every fault we seem to see. Grace for accepting how our unique qualities that may have caused undesired attention in the past have helped us to become who we are now. Grace to make room and hold space for curiosity about life, about others, the unseen parts of Existence that reside outward or within ourselves or others, or in the mechanics of physical reality through Science.

The Grace to willingly ask of our Self questions whose answers may not feel great to know. While everything will be alright, it doesn’t always feel that way — and that’s okay.

Journaling/Tarot Prompts

Here are a few journaling prompts suitable as tarot questions to consider for conversation with your deepest self (who surely has some answers to help you in your day to day mortal affairs).

1. Who am I afraid of not becoming? What qualities do I most want to exhibit as a human? How do I want to be?

2. If I could focus all of my energy to eliminate one fear I have, what fear would I choose to resolve?

3. How would tomorrow play out if I had no fear and only curiosity in my everyday regular existence and normal self?

Outro

Remember to return to the simple pleasure of deep breathing. If things feel too big or too much, return to the shelter of the present moment. Feel your body from your breath in and out, scanning from your toes up to your belly and on up to your scalp. Stretch, metaphorically or literally, into your discomforts and embrace that which feels true.

The work you do to know yourself benefits the collective. Thank you for participating in this gentle reflection.

With Grace, curiosity, and radical kindness, good bye!

[Do do do do do Do do! Outro song]