Episode 45 - Be Your Authentic Self

As Pride Month comes to a close, what wisdom can the cards and Ogham offer about living authentically, loving ourselves, and honoring who we truly are? 

Card Pull - Attitude = Desiring a Balance

Ogham Stick - Hawthorn = protection, cleansing, defense 

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@John-Ginn-8

Please email stories, questions, etc. to lessonswithwesley@gmail.com. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:05

Welcome to Lessons with Wesley. If this found you, it was meant to. Take a moment to pause, reflect, and breathe. You're entering a sacred space of tarot, of oracle, meditations, oum, and soul-centered wisdom. There are no coincidences here, only invitations. Lessons with Wesley.

SPEAKER_00 0:52

So as Pride Month comes to a close, I had the idea to I wanted to do an episode about Pride Month. I was listening to a fantastic um podcast called A Paranormal Chicks. They too live here in Hattersburg. I was listening to them and they had it's a true crime and a paranormal. So they had an episode about uh that dealt with Pride Month. And I said, Oh my gosh, I want to do that. And so I said, I know ex um Nathan and I are leaving on a trip, so I wanted to get this recorded before. So this episode, when you're listening to it, so this is the last episode of June. So I'm recording it before that. But I said, you know what? I'm gonna make this work. I said, what a great idea. I said, how can I tie this in to Pride Month? I said, you know what? I'm gonna set my intentions. The intentions are basically gonna be, what do the cards and OM sticks have to say about Pride Month? And then I was like, Yeah, that's just kind of bland. So I threw it into Chat GPT because I love using ChatGPT. And I said, Thank you so much for putting this into words that I'm thinking. And it said, maybe not like what do they have to say about Pride Month, but more what do they have to say about living authentically or finding the courage to be yourself? And I was like, oh my gosh, that is fantastic. So what do the cards and the sticks? What message do they have for the LGBTQ community? What do they have for us about loving ourselves and having the courage to be seen? Um, and it's kind of funny. I I just had my birthday, so I turned 46, and I was like, oh man, Pride Month coming to a close, and this is episode 45, so my 45th year has come to a close already. It came to a close last week with four wonderful bottles of bourbon. Oh shit, I didn't mean like I drank four bottles of bourbon. I'm just saying uh Nathan and Lady Whiskey got me some wonderful bourbon for my birthday. Um, but anyway, so that that was my intention. What do the cards, what do the OM sticks have to say about Pride Month? You know, what are we loving ourselves? Are we honoring who we truly are? You know, is there something part of us that's uh we're keeping hidden? Are we living our true life, our true selves? Are we being true to ourselves? Do we need some support? Like a support group or more support from our guides or ancestors? You know, what what does it mean to have courage right now? Stepping into your truth. I know growing up, you know, we hide this shame and this fear until we honor ourselves and know who we truly are and embrace yourself. So that's what this one is about. Um let's see. So before I get into it, and um, well, first off, I was looking around at my Oracle decks and the um and my um terror cards, and I saw this wonderful uh deck here, and it's got cats on it. Nathan and I have three cats, we love them. We have uh Iris, Sage, and Fiorello, and this one has a beautiful black cat on it. So this uh the deck I used, it's called the Fantasy Cats Oracle. Now that is by Paolo Barbiera. So P-A-O-L-O B-A-R-B-I-E-R-I. It says magic is in your paw. I love it. So I'm like, okay, I'm using that. Alright, I'm gay, I got cats. But no, I I love dogs too. But anyway, I would have 15 dogs if I could, but I just do not have the time or money or space. But anyway, so that is what I used, and and then I pulled an OM stick. So I'm gonna share that with y'all in just a little bit. So but before I share that with you, go ahead and if you if you want to uh set your own intentions. Um, yes, I've already done this intention before, but that is the wonderful thing about this. It doesn't matter that I set my intentions last week because that's when I'm recording this, because I wanted to get this out there because Nathan and I are actually gonna be gone hiking in New York and rock counting in Herkimer, New York. I can't wait to send you a picture of what we find. That's gonna be awesome. So, my point is I'm recording this last week, but no matter what, you're gonna get something out of it because that's my intention, and you're gonna set your intention right now. Okay. So, what I've done, so right here I've got the card. I'm gonna read what it stands for, and it stands for attitude, desiring balance. Balance is found inside the complexity and strength of holding opposing ideas and oppositional situations at the same time. Look honestly at what is at hand. Do not fear what is needed because it is different or because you don't recognize it. You are up to the task at hand. Embody a deep strength to embrace the unknown, make friends with chains to envelop new possibilities, exist between shifting polarities by holding strong to your faith, acknowledge the existence of eternal truths and ancient knowledge embedded in nature, read the signs as they appear before you. Cats enjoy perfect control, yet, like us, they stumble and fall. Cats lose their balance and return to equilibrium immediately, even if they reveal a touch of embarrassment for their fumble. Cats teach us that no matter how far, how hard you crash, the important thing always and forever is to get back up, brush yourself off, and continue as if nothing went wrong at all. Man. I mean, we all straight gay, trans, whatever. I mean, we've all fallen in life and gotta get back up. I can definitely remember struggling with myself and doubting myself and like, oh my gosh, I'm no good, I'm worthless. I mean, these are the things that I dealt with as a you know, a gay teenager and growing up. How many times have I felt that I have fallen? I I'm just no good, but yet I kept going until I found those, that wonderful community, that wonderful friend. So keep going, protect your heart, trust the process of just learning who you are inside, and I think that's why the kids relate to me so well is because I um I am I I'm a great teacher, y'all. I'm gonna say it. I'm a great teacher, and I do think that is because the kids see me and they're like, oh, Mr. Wesley, he's very authentic. And I am what you see up there in front, that that that's me, and I do think that is why they relate to me so well. Um so that's what the card talks about, and um, just about keeping the faith and things shift, and like those cats. I mean, those of you that have cats, yeah, you've seen them, they'll fall off and write themselves, you know, pretty quickly. But yet they keep they keep going. And then the um the Owam stick hawthorn. Hawthorn stands for protection, a cleansing and defense. I mean, good grief. Talk about how many walls did I put up when I was growing up. And yes, even as a gay man, yes, I am surrounded not by a wall of trees, but I'm surrounded by a wall of friends and a community that loves me and keeps me safe and protects me. So I'm protecting myself, my my what's what I hold dear and sacred. I'm protecting my truth, but yet I do set those boundaries, and there's someone that just doesn't have the same beliefs as myself. Well, hawthorn's got beautiful blooms. They also have thorns, so don't be getting too close, you might get stuck. But um, but anyway, so the Hawthorne, uh, just yeah, it's got blooms and thorns, so love and protection. Love yourself, y'all. Love yourself, but find those friends, that community that's going to be there for you and provide protection. Keep the faith, keep the courage, keep going, just stand in your truth, know who you are, and find that wonderful balance between fear and courage and just doubt and faith. So the cards remind us that yeah, in life we have shifts, the ground changes. We might not always know where we're going, but we're gonna keep going. Keep going. You fall down, get up, brush yourself off, continue who you are meant to be. And the Hawthorne tells us to protect, protect the beauty within, protect it. You don't have to know every step ahead. You don't, folks. You only have to trust the next one. Just trust in yourself, keep the faith, keep yourself protected, and just keep becoming who you are. Stay true to yourself, stay true to your authenticity, to your courage. Find that courage and become who you're meant to be. Alright. Well, folks, if you've enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends, share it with your family, and love yourself, find a balance, keep going, and Gaia bless you.