The Sour Taste of Memory

the Vinegar or Acetum card from the Wild Unknown Alchemy deck by Kim Krans

I didn't have a theme in mind today. I'm a little exhausted, not sleeping well, a little overwhelmed, confused, and slightly beat down today. I knew I wanted to use this deck and I innitially drew a 4 card reading called the Doors of Widsom. The message was clear but a little sour. The Vinegar card showed up as the last card or the door of destination.  I should have gone with that reading, but if it was going to be a heavy day with a heavy message I decided to lighten my load. I put all the cards back in the deck and shuffled again, asking spirit for one clear message. Well, today She was very clear. Vinegar is what's on the menu.

Vinegar is a corrosive acid. In the spiritual alchemical sense, the card describes vinegar with the words acidity, distillation, and memory. Even seeing the word can bring the taste to our tongue. Offensive and sharp if it't not just a few drops. It also serves to preserve, distill, and ferment other materials, so they may be more unique, transformed into something very potent. It is powerful in small doses, but becomes overpowering very quickly.

This card tells me there could be a sour note permeating life right now. A memory, a contract, a mindset, a circumstance. Something from the past is showing up now and demanding our attention. It wants to remind us of patterns, to alert, not to punish.

As they say, it's productive to look at your past, but not stare.

This sour note should not be ignored, and if you feel that something from the past is coming back to nag you, or you have fallen into past patterns, Spirit is urging you now to do the hard work to break down the wounds, barriers, or "safety loops" these memories have us caught in. I know exactly what this card is telling me. Personally, I have a lot of old beliefs about money, labor, my vaue and worth, and even tied to this work that are so deep and foundational within me, it is just not enough to be aware and observe. It is a time now to do the scary thing and take action.

If something doesn't taste good, you don't have to eat it. If something doesn't feel good, you don't have to feel it over and over again forever.

When I did the 4 card reading, the Door of Resistence card was that of Mercury. Mercury rules communication and the tongue. There's something here in this reading that's expanding from my meditation on the color blue and the throat chakra, permeating to the tongue. Spirit wants to bring focus to the words we are speaking now. This is not a time to complain or to gossip, it's a time of hard conversations with yourself and others that will change the trajectory of our lives.

If this time is uncomfortable, if there's a faint taste of something sour in the air, especially the words of others, be discerning. Be very blunt and straightforward in your speech, honor yourself. The moment of discomfort in someone else who is trying to work you over, or trying to center themsevles when it's not appropriate, is worth it to end a cycle permanently. The vinegar card is showing up to ask us to do the hard thing.

Today is a great day to get some deep relaxation and rest in. A hot bath, steam or sauna will help relax the body and prepare for sleep. There is so much work happening in our subconcious in our sleep cycles at the moment. Spend plenty of screen-free time in bed before you fall asleep, focusing on the dynamics you're really wanting to create right now. Envision yourself feeling the way you want to feel, investing your time where you want it to go everyday. The universe will reward you and work overtime in your sleep, rearranging your thought patterns to reflect your desire. If you don't believe me, try it ;)

lf you've come this far today, love you, mean it.