Blessings, beautiful souls —
I keep reading Italian Folk Magic [Rue’s Kitchen] and keep hoping to see some of myself in it, but nothing is there. It is funny how I am so proud of being Italian, and yet I feel no connection to the magic of my ancestors. Reading through the section on Superstitions and Proverbs, I rolled my eyes and couldn’t wait to get through it. In particular, the stupidity of it all came out in a laugh when I read, “Conceiving a child during a waxing or full moon favors a female child. Waning moon, especially waning quarter crescent moon, conceptions favor males.” – My son was conceived on a waxing moon, and my daughter on a waning to new moon…
Now, as I navigate the Amulets and Talismans section, my eye-rolling continues. I am speed-reading. I am sighing. I am just not feeling connected to this text, and it brings me no joy. None of it resonates.
In a strange way, this feels fitting, not only with the tarot cards I pulled today, but also with a lot of what I am navigating in my internal and external life. Today, I pulled the Six of Pentacles & Knight of Pentacles. A double drop of earthly energy. I’ll share the cards so you can gain your own understanding through the imagery:
This reading asks me to think about where I am putting my energy and whether the exchange is worthwhile. Six of Pentacles has me question whether generosity has become over-giving, and the Knight puts his food down and says, stop and keep it (it being my energy). The Knight forces me to look at whether all this giving is really sustainable for me.
So, how does this relate to the book I’m reading? Well, what am I receiving from this book in exchange for the time and energy I am giving to it? The Knight of Pentacles doesn’t romanticize life (not like the Knight of Cups); he asks: is this really mine to have and hold? If I am gaining nothing of value from this text that will allow me to improve myself, improve my life, improve my relationships (family, friends, clients), or improve my spiritual practice, what good does this book serve? I cannot manufacture a connection to it just because I am ancestrally tied to the content within it – so why do I continue to give my energy to it?
And how does this relate to my life? Well, I am continuously on a path of boundary-setting- in particular, looking at aspects of my spiritual life that no longer serve me, such as labels and altars, which I have written about recently. But this boundary-setting also extends to my relationships; I am learning to build a foundation on my truth and to say, “I cannot offer you more,” when I feel depleted.
My reading today calls me to stay grounded, to make sure my roots are watered before I offer myself to someone else, and be discerning about what is worth my energy and focus. Soil that has no nutrients will grow no fruit – where have I been planting myself?
On August 29th, in the depth of the early morning darkness, I heard a quail call – check out my linked post to learn all about that spiritual symbolism and the rarity of such a sound. Today, after writing the first half of this post and driving my son to school, something amazing was crossing the road in front of my car:
Not just one quail – a mother quail with seven or eight babies!
I had goosebumps! Not only was this a birding jackpot for me (seriously, I almost cried), but the spiritual symbolism that, six days later (six of pentacles), the calls of those elusive birds manifested in my reality was beyond! Now the symbolism extends just beyond their sound:
- Provision and nourishment: Quail are associated with being provided for and having one’s needs met, making them a beautiful symbol of abundance, sustenance, and receiving.
- Motherhood and family: A mother quail surrounded by her young brings the symbolism of maternal care, family, responsibility, and tending to those who are genuinely yours to nurture. This absolutely aligns with my tarot reading: where am I giving my energy? Who deserves it most? (My family)
- Protection and vigilance: Quail are attentive and alert birds. Their presence can symbolize staying aware of your surroundings and caring for what is vulnerable without losing yourself in the process. (Again, tarot alignment!)
- Hidden things becoming visible: I heard the quail before I ever saw them. Their appearance feels symbolic of something existing quietly beneath the surface and eventually revealing itself when I am ready to notice it.
- Grounded spirituality: Quail live close to the earth, reminding me that spirituality does not always arrive through elaborate rituals or inherited traditions. It can be found in paying attention to the living world immediately around me. (Again! Tarot reading: two pentacles/earth cards)
Saying a whole brood rather than just a single bird also feels significant; it feels like a sign of extensive abundance, one that extends to my family and goes beyond just my own bubble of spirituality. I am already noticing that my husband is going through an Awakening and Awareness of his gifts, trusting his intuition more fully, and asking me deeper questions around karmic healing, Ego, and spiritual humility.
The book, the tarot reading, the quails… it feels like it all comes back to this knowing: I do not have to force a connection simply because I thought I was supposed to find one. The Universe unravels all that is meant to be ours when it is meant to be ours. Clarity comes when we are still and welcome it in.
I can honour where I come from without claiming every tradition as my own. I can be proud of being Italian without needing to find myself in every superstition, ritual, amulet, or piece of folk magic I encounter. I can put a book down when it gives me nothing. I can step away from relationships that leave me depleted. I can question the spiritual practices and labels I once assumed I needed. None of this makes me less connected to my ancestors, less spiritual, or less open.
So I return to the Knight of Pentacles, slow down, stay grounded, look at what is actually nourishing me, tend to what is mine, stop pouring energy into places where nothing grows. Discernment is not rejection; it’s safety and knowing where I am best rooted.
I must endlessly test the soil within and beyond me. I must grow the best fruits – for myself, for my family, for the Collective.
If you wish to support my work further, have a look at all my books, journals, and decks, available here. If you want to work with me as a spiritual healer, check out my services through Seeking Celestial Grace and Awakened Little Souls. I am offering limited spots each month for my Year Ahead Tarot Reading. And: What if the wisdom you need could be found in the spirit of flowers – in a 78-card oracle deck? Have a look at fleurs célestes – a Flower Essence Oracle & Tarot Deck created by yours truly.
xx C
lifeofcloud 