Today, be mindful of your physical existence

Wild Unknown Tarot, 2012

The 'Mother' of Pentacles reminds me today of all I've been thinking about since I got up this morning. Although the card here from Wild Unknown Tarot shows a pretty picture of Bambi and his mother, the Queen of Pentacles has always been more about being in tune with the physical than being about motherhood. It's true the Queen of Pentacles is a nurturer, but she nurtures herself, those around her, and the earth, she's not just a baby machine.

The Mother of Pentacles asks us today, 'What can you do to take care of your physical body today? How can you nurture yourself? What can you do to ground your awareness in your body, to be mindful of your physicality, and to honour your connection to the earth through your physical experience today?'

Some answers might be:
When you have your morning shower or bath, pay attention to the feeling of the water, the scent of the soap, and use all your senses to experience the shower fully.

Whenever you eat today, look at your food and think about where it came from, think about it growing up from the earth, think about the hard work of many hands that went into planting, nurturing, harvesting and delivering that food to you. If you prepare it yourself, send your blessing into it. If it was prepared for you, eat it mindfully and with a thought of gratitude to the work of all those that brought it to you.



When you go outside, look at the colour of the sky. Look at the shape of the clouds. Feel the wind. Feel the sun. Listen to the rain. Experience the outdoors fully, even if you're just walking to your car.

When you move, pay attention to the movement of your muscles. Be aware of your posture, stand up straight, like there is a string tied to your pelvis bones, rising up through your spine and out the top of your head, pulling you gently upward.

Try to use a cue to remind you of your breathing. For example, every time you hear a phone ring, pause to take a deep breath, and feel it going in and out of your body. Remember the breath, that most intimate and vital connection between yourself and the earth.

Like the Mother of Pentacles, try today to be mindful of your physical existence.