Friday Free-For-All: "Oracle Card Reading"

Today I am sharing with you a recent Swap-Bot swap I participated in, which is an oracle card reading I did for my partner "P". I have had several readings done for me -most recently by the sweet & insightful Lori-Lyn Hurley, but I have never really done a reading for anyone else. I have 5 different decks of oracle cards and do pull a card for myself almost every day. I find it helpful to give me a sense of what I should perhaps be giving/paying attention to or remembering during the course of my day. I have had a few friends pose questions about this practice, and one of my answers was this:  "To paraphrase my friend Lori-Lyn Hurley: " Oracle cards are an integral part of my spiritual practice, because I believe in their power as tools of clarity and fine-tuning intuition. They’re not scary and they’re not magic. They’re little works of art that speak to your heart. Remember: You’re the one with the power, not the cards. The cards are a tool to assist you. Use the cards as mirrors and peer into your own soul, your own wisdom. Cards are fun, but you don’t need them. The answers you seek are within you."

I do feel an ability to open my heart & mind to connect with universal energies and discern messages which are being sent via spirit in a multitude of ways, and I found that it was a really wonderful and exciting experience to read a card for someone else for the first time!

I am sharing the "transcript" (and photos) of the reading that I sent to my swap partner "P", who lives about 2,500 miles from me and whom I have never met.

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You asked me to use the Hawaiian Oracle-Animal Spirit Guides from the Land of Light oracle cards for your reading. I was thrilled at your choice, because I just spent 2 weeks in beautiful Maui, Hawaii, and while there, on Feb. 1st (Imbolc), my soul mate and I were married in an intimate private *secret* early morning ceremony on a very secluded beach! So naturally, I am still feeling a very special and strong connection to Hawaii right now!

I actually found these cards a few years ago, brand new unopened in the box, at a local thrift store. Since I had as of yet only opened the cards to go through a few times and get familiar with the cards and read through the book about each animals meaning, I thought it best to do a thorough clearing & cleansing of the cards to release any possible lingering negative energy from them before doing your reading.

I did this in three ways, all of which I learned from Lori-Lyn (the woman I mentioned above):

First, I laid the cards out in a patch of freshly growing grass in our yard, for about 10 minutes on both sides-face up first to allow the fresh air to carry away any negativity and then face down to ground them with the Earth.

Second, I held the cards in my left hand, made a fist with my right hand and forcefully knocked on the card deck three times. I did this outside, facing a clearing in our wooded back yard area.
Lastly, I did a sage bundle smudging of the cards, again outside, swirling the smoke all around and through the deck.
I also did a full body smudge on myself outside, paying particular attention to my hands, eyes & heart, holding the intention to keep these areas clear and open to receiving.

I decided to do the reading inside, in my favorite room in our house, which we call the "bistro". In preparation, I turned off my phone, put my 3 doggies on the back deck, and turned on some of my favorite music: "The Book of Secrets" by Loreena McKennitt. I set up a small "alter" on a footstool, which held incense in a hand-made holder, a lava stone I picked up in Maui, a wooden bracelet I got there which has  "Aloha" hand painted on it, and a small crystal like stone I found on a beach near our house.  I sat in front of this alter on my meditation bench.

I meditated for a few moments as the music started. The first song playing was sort of a chant, and I closed my eyes, asked for my heart and mind to be opened, and hummed along with the music until the end of the song.

I reached for the deck, keeping your name in my mind, and cut the deck the corresponding amount of times which spelled out your name (5 times).

I pulled the top card off the deck, and held it quietly between my palms for a moment, closing my eyes and taking three deep breaths.

I opened my eyes and turned the card over.

Your card:

‘IWA

Frigate Bird

Here is what came to me as I held & looked at your card:

Something is holding you back. Something small but significant. If you can overcome the hold this has on you, you can advance in an area of your life which is in need of a change, a change which will make you stronger and more confident.
Your (night time) dreams hold a key as to how to overcome this small but prevading obstacle.
There are others who are there to support you in this endeavor, but there are others who you are in contact with every day who are not.
Among your supporters, I see a child-perhaps 6-9 years old-who can guide you in some important way. Pay attention to a small child who has a message for you, which may come to you more as a gesture or action, rather than actual words spoken.

There is a place and need for this change to come in your life, and I see your physical health improving in some way along with it.
In wrestling with this “idea”  of necessary change for some time now, you have felt “grounded” (not in a positive sense, but rather, held down, held back, kept from “flying”).
You have lost sight of one of your core beliefs.
If you can rise above this “grounding”, you can allow yourself to “fly” to a whole new level of being in your daily life. This may seem small to others but has weighed heavily on your heart lately.
Remember to be open to a message a child will impart as well as asking your dreams for assistance in how to make this needed change.

After writing down everything that came to me, I looked up your card in the deck description booklet.

Here are the highlights of what it said about your card:

‘IWA
Frigade Bird

Challenge: Thievery
Way Through: Choices
Gift: Flying

E ka na ‘auao, e aloha’oe
Oh wisdom, love to you
IMAGERY
‘Iwa hangs effortlessly on the sea breeze. The vibrant colours of the sunrise sky seem to unite with his mystical message from Kane. There is a sense of hope and expectation. A new day is dawning.

INTERPRETATION
UPRIGHT (which your card was)
The appearance of ‘Iwa is a sign that you’ve made contact with your higher self. Your soulmessage gas been sent. Natives of the ellice Islands (now Tuvalu) sent messages by attaching them to pearl fish-hooks in the frigate bird’s beak. You need to ensure that the rest of  your being has integritiy, tohelp your soul island “hook” the best outcome possible.

(*Note:
In the info for the card showing as REVERSED says “Others are trying to bring you down. You must protect yourself.”)

Birds are beings of the great god Kane nui awakea - “Kane in the great light”. They act as his messengers. Iwa was a great bird ancestress with dwelling places in all islands. When ‘Iwa entered the world, she gave birth to a child.

I hope you've enjoyed what I've shared today.
Have a fantastic Friday!

Happy Me-Laurie Z!