Hello friends,
Scarcity consciousness is baked into the current prevailing Western worldview. Always on the productivity hamster wheel, we’re encouraged to do more to get more to be something that we kind of are at the expense of what we really are.
With so many doom and gloom or up-and-up messages bombarding us, falling into a holistic worldview requires an ongoing reorientation to the deeper truths of existence. My repeated encounters with the flags and the mountain, the creek and the trees, the grasses and the flowers in the making of the Flag Oracle created an anchor for these deeper truths which I hope the cards carry to you.
This week’s reading offers a delightful counterpoint to scarcity consciousness. Abundance is an inherent part of the natural world; seasonal processes and constant cycles of growth and decay make possible everything we love about nature.
The bright Lakshmi Vortex flag—containing the colors typically associated with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity, love, and beauty—hangs from a mossy branch of an ancient sprawling oak. The tree is gorgeous on its own, but bringing my flag to it created more beauty. The foggy June day made the leaves and moss glow a deeper green, a perfect color complement to the purple border of the flag.
True beauty—and true abundance—knows no bounds. On this day, beauty in the forest seemed limitless. I brought my flag to it as a gift and created more beauty with every photograph.
What we bring to life creates more abundance. In the Day position, this card invites you to bring yourself and your creations to the world. By doing so, you facilitate a more abundant world for all.
The Inner Fire flag appears to be lit from within as the sun casts leafy shadows on it from behind. This card is an invitation to shine a light on what’s inside, underneath, and below the edges of where you normally look.
In the Night position following the Abundance in All Directions card, the Inner Light card reminds that our abundance lies in attending to that inner fire and letting it shine. Amidst the plethora of messages encouraging a focus on external achievements and possessions, we may be ignoring the beauty, strength, and simplicity of our inner fire.
When you sit with your heart, what does it say? It’s likely not very complicated. What happens when you consider that everyone shares that same inner light? Believing in an abundant world is not just about our own gain, it’s about participating in a never-ending cycle of self-care and caring for others. What makes our hearts glow is likely the same thing that facilitates an abundant world for all.
May you bring your inner light to your creations and the world around you.
May sharing your light create a more abundant world for all.
Knowing the seasons of your life
At first, the activities that went into making the pictures that comprise the Flag Oracle were an extreme act of self-care, a tending to my inner light. Back in 2020-2021, I only knew that I had to hike with the flags and take pictures; I did not know how the pictures might reach others or that flags would inspire this kind of writing. Now, the act of offering weekly readings in this format is, I hope, an abundant expression of my care for others.
When we are generous with ourselves, we can be generous with others—but these periods of inner self-care and outward giving don’t necessarily happen at the same time. Knowing whether you are in an inward or outward phase can take the pressure off any assumptions about what you think you need to be doing.
Here in Northern California, winter is a season of regeneration. Abundant rains this year have brought forth an exceptional crop of wild mushrooms such as the dinner plate-sized collection I found yesterday on a walk. The mushroom in the center is about 12 inches in diameter! This mushroom ring represents the magic of nature; species that lay dormant most of the year only come alive when the conditions are right. It was a feast for the eyes!
Have an abundant week!
Love, Lee Ann
Beautiful. My inner light is a bit dimmed right now. I so enjoyed reading your gentle and loving post, thank you!
Thank you, Lee Ann!