There are still a few items (actually, a lot) that found its way in keeping its place in my closet space.  Don’t worry, I will do my third wardrobe check and I will be more ruthless next time.

I’m going to hold off posting stuff on eBay for a few days.  I want to learn more about the ins and outs of shipping.  Sometimes I feel like I’m actually being ripped off.  Because if that’s the case, then I’d rather donate them than waste my precious energy on taking pictures, listing them, waiting for the auction to end, and still wait for the buyers to pay.  It seems too stressful for me.  Plus I have to buy boxes and still over-pay on shipping fees.

I also removed two pages that I recently created.  I was planning on documenting what I’m purchasing and what I’m willing to let go.  I just realized that it really doesn’t make sense since I’m still in my initial phase of decluttering.  I guess this “one in, one out” strategy works best once I’m done with all the throwing, selling, donating, and gifting stuff.

For some reason, I became more sensitive to the smell of colognes as I grew older.  Just a spray is enough for me.  As my sensitivity developed, I kind of lost interest in buying any new ones.  So now, I’m looking at my stuff and I realize that I really don’t need all of these.  I’m just keeping two:  Polo Blue by RL & Aqua di Gio.  Both smells fresh and clean.  Not too much on my senses.

Things I’m letting go are:

1. Very sexy for him 2 colonge by Victoria’s Secret
2. Bvlgari Aqva Marine pour homme
3. Burberry the Beat EDT
4. Hollister Jake cologne
5. Abercrombie and Fitch cologne
6. Zara Man cologne
7. Kenneth Cole Black cologne
8. Banana Republic classic cologne
9. Polo Blue by Ralph Lauren (my second bottle, almost finished)

I’m going to bring this to work and ask around if they want some of my colognes.  I’m sure one or two will be happy to get them.  They are hardly used, except for my second Polo Blue bottle of cologne.  So that’s it for today, 9 colognes out of my hands.  Now it’s easier to choose which cologne to apply.

Before I begin, I just wanted to say how impressed I am with this full screen view while posting a blog entry. Definitely reduces a lot of the visual distraction. I’m just writing this post straight from scratch… no drafts whatsoever… =D

So anyway…

A lot of stuff has happened since last year. I’ve gotten busy with personal life and gradually lost interest in writing anything. I guess every writer (or blogger) comes to that point. Hiatus. I think that’s the proper term.

Before I quit blogging, I was part of the PDR reflections group created by members of the Aeclectic Forum members. I was suppose to make a weekly reading on my favorite tarot deck and share my studies with the group. I was doing a good job for a few weeks but it didn’t last long. This reminded me why I don’t like making new year’s resolutions. It just doesn’t work for me. That said, I want to apologize to the group members for my disappearance.

I want to go back to writing again. I feel it to be therapeutic. But I won’t be focusing on tarot anymore. Right now I have a new obsession. It’s about minimalism.

I’m currently reading a book by Francine Jay called “The Joy of Less, a minimalist living guide”. I’m still far from finishing the book but I’m really liking her tips. Her mental preparation exercises helped me a lot in dealing with my clutter head on. I’m just realizing how much stuff I actually own and it’s draining me.

I’m learning a lot about “Space”. One lesson I learned that I want to point out is : “Space is valuable”. I learned that if there’s a space, it doesn’t mean that you have to occupy it (with stuff). If the corner of the room is empty, it doesn’t mean you have to buy an end table to fill it. Or a new painting to hang over a bare wall. Isn’t it interesting? To me, it is. I think this is going to be a very interesting journey. So please welcome me. Hi, I’m AJ, I’m a clutterer willing to change.

1. Victorian Romantic (new and unopened)

2. Maroon Tarot

3. Thoth Tarot (mini)

4. Fairy Tale Tarot

Second item is The Jolanda Tarot

More updates soon!

Right now, I’m thinking of letting go of some of my tarot decks. I’m trying to simplify my life and I want to lessen my tarot collection to just a few decks. I probably will keep the Baba Studio decks and (of course) The Deviant Moon.

I’ll make a list of tarot decks (for sale) on my next post.

Oh by the way, I’m still excited for the upcoming “limited” sister deck of Deviant Moon!

King of Pentacles

Having the daylight’s saving time today made the day so much shorter… so I thought I’ll just do a quick and easy reading for this week.

This week will be my pay period so The King of Pentacles makes so much sense. He is the master of all things related to finances.  He looks excessively focused which can be mistaken for being stern and grumpy.  He stands tall with stable footing which shows that he is a grounded person.  His red nail-polish symbolizes his passion for his goals.  His crown is depicted by a working factory which sits in his head.  This, to me, is what keeps him going.  He is a goal-oriented person which doesn’t let any distractions get in his way.

Looking back two weeks ago… I started my budget.  So far everything is going well.  But this coming pay period, I need to make a few adjustments towards my food budget.  I think this is one of the biggest problems because I don’t usually cook.  I tend to buy stuff from the cafeteria, coffee shops, etc… and these things add up.  My “Wants” category should also be re-assessed because it’s still out of hand.  I need to harness the king’s energy so I can gain control again.

I was wondering if moving out to a new apartment would be a good idea. I saw some suspicious mold growing in the bathroom and it scared me a lot! If I’m not mistaking it’s a black mold, although I’m not 100% sure. After googling what it is, it seems to be toxic to the human body. This got me worried. I have three choices, 1-clean it myself, 2-use a service, 3-move out!

I just invented a simple “moving out” spread. And this is what I ended up with:

Should I move?

Here is the 7 of Pentacles again. A witch is patiently testing her knowledge of spells. So far she’s doing something right. Pentacles started to bloom from the branches. I really see this card as an auspicious sign of good fortune. The fruits of labor will soon be realized after patience and hard work.

I can relate this card to the savings I am actually gaining from my rent right now. Living in LA, my apartment rent is quite cheap! Long story short, money is not an issue right now.

Pentacles also symbolize the physical and health matters. I think I should observe and assess my health more so now and pay particular attention to my respiratory health. Black molds can cause some serious symptoms and I don’t want ending up sick just because I saved extra dollars.

Should I not move?

In this card, I see a girl lost in the woods. She looks scared, worried and tired. She has a few bruises in her arms and legs… probably from the thorns in the woods. Sevens mean a test or a challenge. In the usual RWS, the card usually shows a man being outnumbered by 6 attackers. But in the DM, we see a more hopeful image. After being lost in the wilderness, she discovered seven magical wands that showed the way out. Her worries are now over.

Moving now seems challenging. I don’t want to get lost in the woods! Applying for a new apartment demands a lot of work, research, and money. And of course, credit checks! It’s too much right now.  I don’t think it’s the right time.  I have to postpone this for something later, but now I have to deal with my problem the old way.

Advice/Outcome

What will keep my peace of mind? As the Ace of Swords, this reminds me to lessen the mental stress. I know the answer but I need to act on it. In this case, I should approach my problem with a simple action. I shouldn’t complicate things any further. So with this advice, I’m knocking down my third option, which is moving out. Maybe postpone it until later this year? Anyway, I just need to figure out if I should do the cleaning myself or just hire someone… =D

7 of Pentacles

I did a “well-being spread” yesterday and this card showed up.  Today, as my card of the day, I pulled it once again.

This is one of my favorites in the DM deck.  I love anything witchy!  I even ordered an art print of it.

I see this young one testing her earth magic.  She waves her wand and touches the “dead” tree.  As she touches it, blood seeps out of it and out comes seven pentacles.  A sign of good fortune is ahead.  Her young powers are growing and she is on the right track.  The tree is still leafless and fruitless, but the blood shows that it’s still alive.  Blood to me symbolizes effort.  This means my plans should be strengthened by continuous effort… and one way of doing this is by assessing my progress.  Current projects should be evaluated and changes should be made if something is blocking it.  This time should be used for self re-assessment and re-evaluation.

So far, my 2010 is going great.  I’m still in love with learning the tarot.  I’m still doing yoga regularly.  I’m also practicing Transcendental Meditations now.  And I’m giving some time to reading books again.  My physical , mental and spiritual state is quite healthy.  I also had my annual health screening and my labs are all in check.  Blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar and cholesterol level are all good.  I must be doing something right.

But even though everything looks good.  I shouldn’t stop making additional improvements.  Some aspects of my life (like diet, budgeting, charity, relationships) still needs some attention.  I know it will take time and patience but in time, I will figure everything out.  My new mini-project is re-starting a vision board (or book) again.  I planned on doing this last year but it never happened.  This time it will.

Deck: Deviant Moon by Patrick Valenza

Mind – Body – Spirit

Mind: 5 of Pentacles

This represents my current financial worries. I was looking at my spending habits this last month and I’m not very happy with my bank statements. I haven’t been buying any new tarot decks so that’s an improvement. But I still need to make some adjustments and limitations with my other purchases. I don’t wanna end up looking like the poor little girl in this card!

I recently bought Leo Babauta’s book called “The Power of Less”. It talks about living a simple life and making some new habit changes. I’ve always followed his blog and I’ve always been inspired by his view on productivity and minimalism. Maybe this is the perfect time to apply those lessons that he has been imparting in his blog and books.

Body: Ace of Swords

The ace of swords is about mental clarity. It’s a sharp tool to pierce through doubt and confusion. The angel in this card has a special glow in her. She is beautiful and she radiates with enlightening energy. The sword is one of the strongest suits, but having sharp edges, it can also be dangerous.

I have a hunch that this signifies a possible conflict within my body. I recently discovered a small patch of hair loss in the back of my head. It’s very mysterious because I don’t know what might have caused it. The only thing I can think of is that it’s stress-related. I’m currently observing it and so far it’s not getting worse. I’m keeping my positive thoughts and I know that I’m healing myself right now.

Spirit: 2 of Cups

At least my spirit looks happy. I’ve been doing Transcendental Meditation regularly for a week now and I’m starting to feel the effects. One thing I’ve noticed is that I want to do stuff. It’s like a silent motivator. After every meditation, I want to plan and accomplish things. It reminds me of the clarity involved with the ace of swords.  I also noticed an improved focus when I’m at work.  The 2 of cups just confirms that I’m doing a right thing.  It’s compatible with my needs and it’s working fine.

Deck: Deviant Moon by Patrick Valenza