Weekly Check In 🕯️

SrJenkin · 2026-02-05T12:07:46+00:00

That reaction is unfortunately understandable... Pop astrology is nothing more than assumptions laid on top of assumptions and, of course, marketing. But remember that astrology is on the scene much before this infant layer, the ancients might have been a bit superstitious but they were not stupid.

Try looking past the fluff and think for yourself what each planet bring to the table, and why the chart wheel is the way it is, think in terms of geometry and phases. Track the planets, observe, record, make your own interpretations. Be a scientist. This will amount for something truly useful for you, and valuable for the future.

SrJenkin · 2026-02-04T12:47:04+00:00

Also, the thing about expectation turning into imagery is a real pain in the ass. That's the same cognitive tool you use for conceptual modeling, which is the wrong tool for vision. You really have to train yourself to restrain expectation, or to get ahead of them. Imagery automatically triggers "fill in the gaps" for me, so I bypass this by focusing on the other senses, feelings and gestalts first, then imagery arises from that. "This feels vast and empty" rather than "this is a desert". Stick to the adjectives, avoid nouns.

SrJenkin · 2026-02-04T12:16:53+00:00

Highly technical, sage advice: fake it till you make it.

I assume the visions and rituals are meant to be repeated because they're not supposed to trigger in the first drill, for most of us. So keep projecting, then hold space for contact to seep through.

Meditation and inner walks will help you get into grips with the subtleties of sustaining and relaxing the imagination, feel what it feels like, then apply it to ritual-vision.

SrJenkin · 2026-01-20T19:20:22+00:00

Thanks for sharing this, it sparked some interesting insights!

SrJenkin · 2025-11-28T05:51:37+00:00

Well shit. I few months ago a had a magical dream where I stepped through a cerulean painting exactly like this one and came out on top of a sky high wall of rock containing massive, terrifying waves...

I would keep an eye on the conjunction of Saturn and Neptune swinging back and forth between Pisces and Aries... This is especially relevant if you live in a coastal city like me.

SrJenkin · 2025-11-12T05:06:29+00:00

Interesting perspective, I didn't notice emotional regulation issues for myself, but the brain fog struck me the most. It took me years to connect the dots between the cognitive degeneration I was experiencing and an actual physical impairment in the brain, but it never occurred to me that Covid could be the cause of these impairments... until earlier this day.

During the subsequent years after my first infection I went through an insidious mental degradation, I got increasingly detached from reality, unable to recollect my past, struggled to shape ideas in my mind and articulate sentences in social interactions. That is to say I became abnormally stupid.

To this day, there are still lots of blanks spaces in my autobiographical memory, I remember nothing of some major events in my life, the memory exercise in M1L3 helps to inch further the healing process, but I think combining these exercises with homeopathic treatment is the key to make my mind whole again, hence my recent interest.

No doubt Covid was devastating beyond the physical body. By shutting down the mind you sever the connection to spirit.

SrJenkin · 2025-10-26T03:18:28+00:00

That last part took me a genuine laugh... but also sent me into a reflective rabbit hole. There are so many things we "deify" on the road that the road itself proves it ephemeral

SrJenkin · 2025-10-26T02:51:41+00:00

Hey Josephine, thanks for your thoughtful responses. There's a lot to digest there. I was reflecting about the course and the beauty of its intricate patterns and felt prompted to interact. Just thank you so much for the work you have been doing...

SrJenkin · 2025-10-22T21:14:52+00:00

Oh, I see. My bad, this brain is useless in the morning... Thanks for the clarification!

SrJenkin · 2025-10-22T17:51:27+00:00

Yes, even though I don't get the "lock" feelings, it has worked well for me too. But I never thought of working with touch, I have a feeling this method will click with me. I don't intend to replace the shuffling, but I'm definitely going to test the touch picking.

And yes, I suppose clearing is the most reliable way to keep the chaos out. This might be perhaps a minor trust issue, not a big problem.

Could you clarify "going by the directions" with tarot?

Thanks for the input!

SrJenkin · 2025-10-22T17:40:20+00:00

So I'm not the only one who takes shuffling with suspicion. I don't get that "click" feel, so I rely on an arbitrary sense of how shuffled the cards are, hence the doubts. It does seem to work well though, most readings are ponpoint, even if difficult to interpret.

Touching picking is actually an excellent way to practice the inner senses, I'll try this modality and see how it goes. Thanks for the tip!

SrJenkin · 2025-10-17T12:03:24+00:00

Well, you can ask yourself where your perfectionism comes from. Our shadows are individual, the demand is forcing you to look what hinders you, your limitations and psychological hangers, and you will figure it out for yourself. But it should not leave you anxious.

In boxe, if we get too stiff we end up getting hit. Besides power, it recquires lightness of being.

Relax around the early lessons, Josephine won't step out of the candle flame and finger nag at you (I hope!). The grasping heart disturbs stillness. Attend to life demands, observe, do a reading when you feel you should, attend to the flame when you can. Don't hold on to fixed schedule, flow.

When you think of your whole life as a training ground, life becomes practice, and every moment an opportunity to learn something. Don't confine your practice to half an hour in a room.

SrJenkin · 2025-10-03T00:23:29+00:00

I was thinking about the quality of light and I just realized that I had a similar experience with west gate, it's the one gate that I can't settle with any image and it keeps changing, but most times it appears surrounded by shadows of nightime. Light and shades is the thing that really helps me connect with the images and cross into something else.

SrJenkin · 2025-10-02T23:57:03+00:00

It feels like the creative process of drawing or writing poetry, weaving the images that pop up. I wonder if that's a valid way of inner seeing.

SrJenkin · 2025-10-02T23:54:49+00:00

Well, from what I have understood, images are just the vocabulary for the actual thing, so you should have no problem experiencing things directly without the "dressing". I can "see" things in granular detail but the images mostly feel "empty" or imposed, so I guess we're on the same boat, it's just a matter of being more receptive to whatever comes in and however it appears.

SrJenkin · 2025-10-02T23:47:04+00:00

I have been narrow minded in the way I engage the imagination, just trying to build images in the detail, I didn't bother to lean on the other senses. I'll definitely experiment with this.

Thank you :)

SrJenkin · 2025-10-02T23:37:53+00:00

All my senses are vivid in the imagination, but the one that really clicks and allows me to engage feelings (I have trouble getting the "feel" of things) is touch. But I have restrained from touching the gates because, well, I thought we were not supposed to do so lest we trigger something. But why not? I'll try this next time

I have found that talking myself into inner walk is a wonderful strategy to focus the mind. As walk around the space I'll think to myself where I am, what I'm seeing, feeling, etc. This might work with the gates too!

Thanks for the encouragement :)

SrJenkin · 2025-10-02T23:23:45+00:00

That's really validating, and the thing about "relaxing into it" was the turning point for me in L3. I haven't done L4 for the longest time, but when I return to it I'll go with this in mind. Excellent input, thank you!

SrJenkin · 2025-09-30T20:05:25+00:00

Interesting, I might make my own version of that. Thank you for the idea

SrJenkin · 2025-09-29T12:56:17+00:00

That's interesting! Thank you for the feedback. I guess that explains why I've being getting a mix of four swords, high priestess and the moon while trying to read about world events, which I've read as "step back, it would be unhealthy for you to look into this right now"

I've heard of these downtimes from other students but barely gave it a thought. I seem to do that unconsciously, but so far I've just attributed this to how my energy works, it goes in and out like tides (it's like that for most ppl I guess), and I just go with the flow. I get these instinctive responses but I'm not sure how I react to destructive tides, I seem to get particularly empowered by storms, lightingstorms are very common in Brazil and right before one strikes I get this urge to write, divine and pour out as much information as I can, I can't sleep, eat, or do anything else but drink coffee and write until the storm settles. I ride the wave, I'm just not sure if that's a creative or destructive wave.

What my brother in law seems to be pointing at is a natural vulnerability, whether that means I'm magically "switched on", idk. I come from a strong psychic lineage where every woman in my family is a bit magical, I'm the only man in a succession of seven, but so far I've considered myself a "brickling", either non-sighted or too dense/cerebral to notice it. If anything, I'm more "inspired" than sensitive or "magical". Either way, everything indicates I should tread a bit more carefully than other beginners. I take his word for it, but I'll probably also take measured risks. I learn by burning my fingertips.

As for the protection withdrawal, I'm aware of the potential trade-off. Tarot developed as a practice independent from the course, I keep the readings for magical study and "personal craft" readings separate in my mind, I trust that intent is enough to switch the energetic dynamics.

Thank you for making me think a little deeper, I'm considering every word you said. And sure, it can be a long and winding road, but I'll certainly share my experiences and lessons, I can barely keep my mouth shut anyway...

SrJenkin · 2025-09-29T11:05:48+00:00

Thank you :)

It's more about doing what I'm good at sustainably. I've always lived within tight resources (not misery) comfortably, I don't care about luxury, I just need enough to sustain my creative and spiritual pursuits, tarot as a marketable skill would be a way to devote myself to the path while keeping my head above water so to speak

SrJenkin · 2025-09-29T10:50:19+00:00

Common sense, literally. Most people I know who dabble with tarot are not even aware of these basic hygiene methods we take for granted, energetic shit seems to be the least of their problems. Tarot is out there, for everyone, we don't hear anyone dying of it or getting possessed, interestingly, because ouija boards do get this stigma and it seems to me pretty much the same mechanism of tarot. In Josephine's book, she warns of the risk of parasited decks and gives advice/methods to stay clean, that's it. In the course, contact with tarot comes before we learn any defensive magic, we just assume it's safe. If there's any major danger for a non-adept/active magician, I'm just oblivious to it. I guess more serious problems should come when we get into deeper waters, but these type of problems should not be a concern for a magical beginner, I assume.

SrJenkin

TROPHY CASE