Monday Mettā
A new + beautiful way to experience Mondays.
May my heart be at ease. May my body be at ease. May I feel at ease. May all beings be at ease.
A wish and a prayer for all. This mettā works well when you can gently place your hands on your heart. Physical touch, even your own, feels good. If you’ve ever come to a yoga class of mine, there’s a strong possibility you’ll hear me tell you to “hug yourself” or “give yourself a kiss”. I believe in it! Wrap your own arms around you.
With hands on your heart, you can repeat these words. A release for the body, a release for the spirit, and a gift for others. When you send mettā out in the world, it reaches people. I promise.
✨
So glad you’re here.
Intuitive Tarot Card Reading
Use your intuition to guide you to a specific card below. Choose the card with the crystal on it that calls to you. At the end of this newsletter, you’ll see the cards flipped over, with a reading for each one. The card that you choose here will have your reading for the week.
Card 1: Botswana Agate Choose this card for a message of support.
Card 2: Ametrine Choose this card for some motivation.
Card 3: Flint Choose this card for a message on pragmatism.
Wait to scroll down to the bottom of the newsletter until you’ve chosen your card!
May Day
On Wednesday May 1st, we celebrate the Celtic seasonal festival of Beltane (May Day)! Although it feels like we were just celebrating the beginning of Spring, May Day represents and gently ushers in the summer season.
Throughout Europe, there are many different folklores and celebrations associated with Beltane, including using ritual bonfires to ward off misfortune. In fact, the Gaelic spelling of Bealtaine means “mouth of fire.” Experiment with a fire ritual: lighting a small candle for the duration of the day and even burning small notes with your fears or worries on them. Let whatever flame you light bring a little May magic into your home.
*some information here was gathered from Taproot and Sarah Robinson’s 2022 article about May Day.
In-Person Birch Yoga Class and Tarot Workshop!
On Saturday, May 18, I’ll be presenting two in person classes as a part of my nonprofit music festival, The Birch Festival. Both will be held in Lenox, MA, at the Church on the Hill Chapel (in their beautiful labyrinth room!). Both are free!
Saturday, May 18th from 9:30-10:30: Join me for a gentle yoga class. Donations to The Birch Festival of any amount are welcome. RSVP here.
Saturday, May 18th from 11-12: Join me for a workshop linking the Soldier’s Tale to the archetypal elements of the Tarot. Donations to The Birch Festival of any amount are welcome. RSVP here.
These two events are in support of our main music festival, which includes two concerts of Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier’s Tale) on May 19th and 20th.
With Gratitude,
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Thank you thank you!
Much love and gratitude,
Rachel xo
PS! I make a great gift! Interested in gifting a private yoga, a tarot or an intuitive soul reading to a friend? Reach out!
Your Tarot Reading, Revealed!
Card 1: Botswana Agate // Four of Wands
The number four is the number of support, and you can see this clearly in this card. Though it is a card of joy and celebration, it is also reminding us that support is right in front of us. The four poles are in the foreground of the card, looming, twice the size of the people. If anything, the message here is that you are surrounded by support. If you can’t see it, ask a loving friend to point it out to you. You are supported, and supported, and supported, I promise.
Card 2: Ametrine // Four of Swords
When I’m stuck on a writing problem (finding that perfect word, figuring out a character’s motivation, mulling over the best way to respond to that email), I often take a rest. This rest isn’t always literal, although I do find a good night’s sleep gets my creativity flowing. Often the rest is from the task itself. If you are having trouble motivating, take a rest. This break could be a 10-minute walk or a week-long respite—a break from the task at hand is necessary.
Card 3: Flint // Wheel of Fortune
This is a pretty pragmatic card, when all is said and done. If you look beyond the symbolism and esotericism, you’ll see a simple message: What goes up, must come down and what is down will eventually rise up. Basically, if you’re feeling low, you only need to wait for the wheel of fortune to turn, which it inevitably will. If you’re feeling on the top of the world, the cycles in our lives dictate that things will start to settle and become ordinary again. I’m reminded of one of my favorite Taoist parables about the farmer and his lost horse… fortune, good or bad, exists only in our perceptions.
Rachel Barker's role as writer and intuitive is to facilitate the reader’s introspection, awareness, and reflection. Whether to make a particular choice or take a particular action is entirely the responsibility of the reader.