What better place to spend Ostara (Spring Equinox) than an ancient woodland? I thought it’d be good to arrange a trip to Puzzlewood to celebrate the occasion with some mindfulness, foraging, tarot reading and exploration!
We decided to travel down yesterday and see some bits and pieces on the way, including Goodrich castle which was as magnificent as I remembered it. We stayed at a hotel in Coleford (which is full of chavs and feels like it was still in 2003) but the less said about that the better! We have been really blessed with good weather these past few days and it truly feels like Spring is here. I highly recommend taking a trip to Forest of Dean as its a beautiful place with lovely, scenic drives and places to stop.
We had quite a stressful morning since my car’s engine light came on while we were 2 hours away from home – not ideal. We decided to go to Puzzlewood anyway, because it was what we’d come away for the weekend to see, and it was only 3 minutes from our hotel that we had stayed in the night before. We arrived at 11am on Sunday morning so it was fairly empty when we got there (which I’m always glad of) and headed off into the twisty, chaotic paths.
As we strolled through the deep moss covered stone troughs and towering trees, we took a few moments of quietness. Plus, of course we mixed in a few photo opportunities and silliness (which is often provided by Niall.) ♡ It felt so nice to get a little lost in the meandering paths and stop for some snacks – where I realised the floor was covered in wild garlic. I hadn’t really foraged before so I was a bit shy, but after seeing another person do it (and Niall pick up a leaf and eat it) I stuck right in and gathered some for cooking!
At points that particularly had a good spirit about them, I pulled tarot cards and did a reading on myself, questioning what my near future held for me. I liked the answer and felt reassured. I will pop some more details beneath the pictures below but if you’re not interested in that kind of thing then I will conclude by saying, we also said hi to this very good donkle, and we made it home safely! ♡
Related post: Glamping with Llamas
So now for my Spring Equinox tarot reading…
My overall reading was to determine what to do in the near future, and what it holds. We’re currently about to embark on the journey towards buying our first house and I’ve been excited but also so worried about choosing the wrong thing and all the admin – eek. This reading reassured me and made me feel better about the whole thing, as each card that I pulled seem to show a new part of the journey and made sense chronologically.
Knight of Coins – An arduous journey ahead with a treasured companion who will help you through.
The Chariot – Having determination in one’s decisions and knowing your own mind
The Sun – You’ve sown the seeds with good choices and you can now wait patiently for growth (your hard work will pay off)
Nine of Cups – You can now acknowledge your hard work, relax and reflect on your accomplishments.
Three of Swords – Using hardship as a catalyst for further growth, and a cathartic emotional release.
Niall also pulled us a Shadow card (that determines the overall mood and message of the tarot) which I didn’t photograph, but he got the Wheel of Fortune – a sign of not only letting yourself be at the whims of fate but also taking control of your own fate.
Happy Spring Equinox everyone ♡
6th February 2023
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