Pour yourself something warm, ma cher. Let the steam rise, hold the mug between your hands, and let your shoulders drop. Take a deep breath. Today, we are going to tell oft repeated story of The Fool. However, Papa Eli is gonna ask you to look at it from a slightly different perspective: one with polyhedral dice, character sheets, and a map drawn on worn parchment.
Let’s talk about what the fool is from the perspective of a D&D nerd such as myself. That young, naive person full of spit and vinegar is a Level 1 adventurer. Imagine the cliff he is stading on is on the outer edge a bustling tavern. He has his iconic simple canvas rucksack over his shoulder, looking out at a horizon filled with fog. He has no armor, no legendary sword, and honestly, very few hit points. He is embarking on what us old timers call an epic quest. Rumors spoke of a mysterious, priceless treasure hidden in the deepest dungeon at the edge of the world. Who doesn’t love treasure, right? So it is with a naive smile and a coin flip, he steps onto the trail.
Every great RPG campaign has a tutorial level, and the Fool is about to meet his first guides.

Level 1: The Magician - Unlocking the Inventory
The moment our Fool steps into the clearing, the fog parts to reveal a high-level wizard standing before a wooden table. This is The Magician. On the table sit four sacred items: a cup, a sword, a coin, and a staff.
The Fool looks at his own empty hands, feeling ill-prepared. But the Wizard smiles gently and points to the items, then back at the Fool's rucksack. "You are not empty-handed," the Magician whispers.

"You have all the elements in your inventory already. The intellect to strike like a sword, the emotion to fill a cup, the physical body of the coin, and the passion of the staff. Now, learn to channel them."

This is the moment the Fool learns he has agency. He learns that he has all tools needed to complet his journey. He just has to learn to use them.

Level 2: The High Priestess - The Secret Lore
Leaving the Magician, the path winds into a deep, silent forest where a massive stone temple stands. Here sits The High Priestess, the ultimate Lore Keeper of the realm. The Fool approaches, expecting a map or a quest log with clear instructions. Instead, she places a finger to her lips.
She guides him to sit in absolute silence between two pillars of light and shadow. She teaches him a difficult game mechanic: Intuition. She hands him a scroll of hidden lore written in a language he cannot yet read with his eyes, only with his heart. She teaches him that the most important data in this campaign isn't found on the world map, but in the quiet spaces between his own thoughts.

Levels 3 & 4: The Empress and The Emperor - The NPC Guardians
Refreshed by the silence, the Fool steps back into the sunlight and stumbles into a vibrant, fertile valley. Here lives The Empress. She is the gentle, nurturing NPC who heals his hit points, feeds his party, and reminds him that the earth itself is a mother who provides. She teaches him how to rest, create, and appreciate the beauty of the scenery. However, in a true adventure, such luxuries can be fleeting. The path soon leads to a fortified stone city ruled by The Emperor. He is stern, structured, and unyielding. Where the Empress taught the Fool about flow, the Emperor teaches him about boundaries, discipline, and the strict rules of engagement.

"A quest without a strategy is just a tragedy,"

the Emperor warns. He hands the Fool a shield and teaches him how to build structure in his daily life to protect his energy.

Level 5: The Hierophant - The Ancient Lineage
To understand the rules of the kingdom even deeper, the Fool visits the great grand cathedral of The Hierophant. This is the high cleric of the realm, the keeper of the community's traditions and cultural lineages.
The Hierophant shows the Fool the ancient archives: the stories of all the adventurers who walked this exact path before him. He teaches the Fool that he does not have to reinvent the wheel; there is a sacred system and an ancestral blueprint already in place. The Fool learns the power of ritual, community, and honoring the elders who mapped the dungeons long ago.

Level 6: The Lovers - The First Major Choice
Armed with tools, discipline, and tradition, the Fool reaches a literal fork in the road. Standing at the crossroads is The Lovers.
Suddenly, the Dungeon Master pauses the game. This isn't a combat encounter; it’s a moral choice alignment. The Fool cannot take both paths, and he cannot please every companion in his party. He must look inward and decide what he truly values. Who is he when the choices get tough? By choosing a path, he aligns his heart with his true purpose, casting away the need for external validation.

Level 7: The Chariot - Rolling for Initiative
Now, with a clear direction in his heart, the Fool leaps into The Chariot - the ultimate fast-travel mechanic. He hitches two opposing forces - a black steed and a white steed-to his vehicle.
This level is pure willpower. He learns to master his doubts and his desires, steering them both toward his chosen destination. The wheels spin, dust flies, and he drives forward with absolute focus. He has survived the tutorial. He is no longer just wandering; he is charging forward into the unknown.

Take a sip of your tea, my friend. Notice how far our Fool has come. He started with nothing, and now he is charging down the road in a chariot, armed with tools, boundaries, and a chosen purpose.
But the mid-game is approaching. The dungeons are about to get darker, the monsters are about to get bigger, and the dice rolls are about to get a lot more unpredictable.
Next time we sit down together, we will follow our adventurer as he learns what happens when his strength is tested and the wheel of fortune begins to spin. Until then, take care of yourself, pack your rucksack well, and remember that you already have everything you need for the journey.

Papa Eli

Remember the strength of those who came before you.

Let ancestral resilience guide one practical choice today. Choose the action that helps you move forward instead of repeating old patterns.

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Be Prepared.

Check your supports, strengthen the plan, and handle one practical detail that will help you stay calm if things become uncertain.

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Change doesnt sually come withouut warning. Pay attention to any signs that appear today.

Be prapred, not surprised.

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Observe situations silently before snapping into action or speaking your mind.

Use time alone to listen, observe, and settle your thoughts.

Check in with trusted support before making big decisions.

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Take care of your body’s basic needs before your nervous systen gets overloaded.

Eat, rest, bathe, stretch, hydrate, or tend your health in one direct way A heathly mind and body make better decisions.

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The Action Cards this weeks were pulled from a combination of three related oracle decks called the Southern Gothic Trilogy by Stacey Williams-Ng. The trilogy consists of The Southern Gothic Oracle, The Southern Botanic Oracle, and The Haunts Oracle.

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Take what resonates. Leave what doesn’t.

This week asks for a clear mind before taking action. The message is simple. Slow down enough to make good decisions.

Ifá Says:

Ifá says victory depends on patience, timing, and honest judgment.

There may be pressure to respond, fix, decide, defend, or prove something. Slow down and let reason guide your choices.

This is a week to check the facts, check your motives, and check the likely outcome before you act. A quick move may feel good for a moment, but it may also create more work later.

The 10 of Swords reversed adds that an old pain may still be active inside. Something may have ended, but the mind may still be carrying the weight of it. Watch for decisions that come from exhaustion, fear, resentment, or the memory of what happened.

The 3 of Wands adds that you need focus on long term results. Look past the immediate pressure and ask what your next move will create. Think about what needs to be built, protected, repaired, or prepared.

Ifá says victory comes when you know the difference between a response and a reaction.

A response helps the situation.

A reaction tries to release pressure.

Choose the response.

What to Know:

A clear mind helps you choose well.

A rushed choice can make the issue harder to fix.

Strong feelings need direction before action.

Recovery may still be happening after a hard ending.

The big picture matters more than immediate relief.

What to Do:

Pause before making an important decision.

Check what has already ended and what still needs care.

Do the action that helps the situation.

Give yourself time to recover before deciding what comes next.

Look at the long term result before responding to pressure.

Message from Aganju:

Ifá says that Aganju is the Orisha who’s energy is most prominent this week. It is he who’s message is being delivered through the Oracle, and it is to him that we should give thanks. To learm more about this Orisha, you can start by reading my short article here.

Offering:

A red or brown candle.

A glass of water.

Palm oil.

Roasted yam or plantain.

Strong black coffee.

A clean stone.

Prayer:

Aganju, steady my strength.

Cool my head before I act.

Help me see the right moment to act.

Help me choose patience, truth, and useful action.

If this reading supports you, you can subscribe for the weekly energy reading and daily action cards.

If you want a reading for your own situation, you can find me through I of the Beholder.

Aganju (in some trraditions also called Agayú or Aggayú) is an Orisha connected with strength, endurance, heat, difficult conditions, and steady movement forward. His energy is strong, direct, protective, and forceful. Aganju gives us the strength to push through difficult situations that require endurance.

Different traditions describe him in different ways. In some Lucumí and Cuban traditions, Aganju is strongly connected with volcanoes, lava, and the force beneath the earth. In Yoruba tradition, he can also be connected with rough land, large stones, wilderness, and royal power. These associations point to endurance, pressure, and controlled force.

In many traditions, Aganju has a close relationship with Shango. Some lineages describe him as Shango’s father. Some describe him as Shango’s brother or close companion. They both carry power, heat, courage, and authority, but their areas of emphasis differ. Shango is more connected with thunder, lightning, justice, kingship, charisma, and public authority.

In a reading, Aganju can point to a situation that requires strength. He can show a difficult victory, the need to keep going, a major transition, survival after pressure, standing firm, using personal power responsibly, or getting through something heavy and demanding. His presence does not make the situation smaller. His presence points to the strength needed to meet it.

Aganju can also warn against anger, stubbornness, recklessness, forcing something too soon, taking on too much alone, or using strength in a harmful way. Strength still needs discipline. Power still needs control. Endurance still needs good judgment.

When Aganju is balanced, he teaches disciplined strength. He acknowledges the difficulty of the situation and calls for controlled action. His message is simple: keep going, respect the difficulty of the situation, use your strength carefully, and let discipline guide your actions.

All things end. In order for new cycles to begin, old cycles must end. Don’t fight change today. Embrace it. Be part of it.

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Some lessons keep showing up until we deal with them.

They may come through different people, different situations, or different seasons of life, but after a while the pattern becomes difficult to ignore. At first, we may call it bad luck. Then we may call it coincidence. Eventually, we have to be grown enough to admit the pattern exists and start asking why.

I have learned to pay attention to that type of repetition. I may fuss first, because I am still me, and I reserve the right to be mildly dramatic before wisdom takes over. Once I calm down, though, I usually see the truth of it. Some patterns show us where we are gifted. People keep coming to us for the same kind of help. The same kind of work keeps pulling at us. The same role keeps finding us, even when we did not apply for it. That kind of pattern can point toward something useful.

Other patterns show us where we need to grow. The same conflict keeps happening. The same disappointment keeps repeating. The same choice keeps leading to the same result. At some point, the issue becomes less about what happened and more about what we keep allowing, choosing, or avoiding.

There are times this happens even when we think we are doing the right thing. Sometimes we think we have finished with something, then life shows us we haven’t quite got to the root of the problem. That does not mean we failed, it means the issue has layers that need to be dealt with, one after the other , before we can get to the root.

This is one reason I respect astrology, cardology, and numerology. They can help us recognize patterns in timing, behavior, pressure, and growth. They give language to things we may already feel but have not named yet. The value is in paying attention, then using that awareness to make better choices.

A number can point to a pattern. A birth card can describe a tendency. A chart can show timing. None of that removes responsibility from our hands. The work still lives in our choices, our habits, our prayers, and our willingness to see the truth when the same patterns repeat themselves.

Pattern recognition makes us more honest. It helps us stop acting surprised by things we already know. It helps us notice where we keep giving power away. It helps us honor the gifts that have been trying to make themselves known.

So today, pay attention to the patterns in your life - the good and the not so good. Look at them honestly. Name them without dressing them up. That is when real growth can begin.

Papa Eli

Approach today with patience and calm. Act with wisdom and purpose. Measure twice, cut once. Don’t let anger get the best of you and don’t act or speak without careful thought.

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Today your task is to trust your intuition and respect the balance between nurturing and power.

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Welcome, friends.

Take what speaks to you. Leave what does not. Let this reading give you a steady place to stand before the week begins.

Odu as a Whole

Ogunda Owonrin comes with blessings, and paves the way to victory.

In this Odu, Clearing away obstacles, blockages, isures that unexpected changes don’t hinder your progress toward victory. Handle your sh*t and there will be much less chaos and confusion. Things may move quickly, so be ready when they do.

This week asks for clean action.

What to know:

The road opens through discipline.

Change can be met without panic.

Envy, comparison, and needless conflict weaken the work.

Daily Life

Owonrin brings movement, adjustment, and unexpected change.

The Five of Wands reversed shows the internal struggle than can make this change harder to handle. The practical step is to handle internal struggle before it becomes external conflict. Don’t resist change. Make it work for you.

Spiritual Life

Ogunda is about removing obstacles and blocages. The King of Cups reversed suggests that to accomplish this, you need to master your emotion before you act or speak. Lest discipline rule over emotion.

Ogun strengthens the spirit that can feel deeply and still move wisely.

Offering for Ogun

To honor Ogun this week, keep the offering simple and respectful.

Cool water

Black coffee

Palm oil

Roasted yam or roasted corn

A clean iron tool placed with intention

A red or green candle

An aligned offering may include black coffee, a small plate of plain cooked food, tobacco offered respectfully, or a clean iron nail placed near the offering as a sign of the road being cleared.

Prayer

Ogun, help me clear what is in the way.

Keep me calm.

Help me act with control.

Help me stay away from envy and useless conflict.

Let my choices protect the road ahead.

Let victory come through steady work.

Closing Blessing

May the road open.

May your mind stay calm.

May conflict settle before it creates more trouble.

May your work lead to victory.

If this reading speaks to you and you would like a more personalize version, you can find out more at I of the Beholder.

A personal reading can help you see what needs to be cleared, where your energy is being pulled, and what action supports the path ahead.

You can book a reading with Papa Eli through I of the Beholder.

Lead with gentle love.

Use openness, emotional wisdom, and clear communication today. Let grace move what force cannot.

Let influence flow through sweetness.

I already know my Aires friends are rolling their eyes. A little honey will do you good today. Trust Papa Eli

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Lay down the burden that keeps the past in charge.

Acknowledge the lesson, offer yourself compassion, then take one step that proves the future is still yours to write.

Let mercy enter the room.

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Interrupt the pattern that keeps interruptig your progress.

Choose one habit, thought, or behavior that weakens your momentum and replace it with one action that supports your future.

Let self awareness become power.

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Today, you are being asked to stand for what matters with courage and love. Protect the path in front of you. Act with purpose, speak the truth, and let your strength serve what is sacred.

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DISCLAIMER: What follows is my personal musings. This article is not intended to be medical or psychiatric advice. If your situation calls for it, please seek professional care.

We all know what physical exhaustion feels like. You work too much for a few days. Your body aches. Your patience shortens. Your thinking slows down a little. Then you finally get a good night of sleep, eat something decent, and start feeling mostly like yourself again. But have you ever felt the kind of tired that no amout of sleep seems to fix?

You can sleep all weekend and still wake up feeling worn thin. Conversations feel heavier than they should. Its harder to feel Joy. Small tasks begin carrying emotional weight that does not make logical sense. Even things once loved can start feeling strangely foreign. Those are the calling cards of spiritual weariness.

A tired body asks for rest. A tired spirit asks for realignment.

That realignment can come through simple mindfulness tasks like; a meal eaten slowly, music that reaches something human again prayer spoken plainly instead of performed beautifully. silence without guilt, sitting outside long enough for the nervous system to loosen its grip a little, or time with people who allow you time to exhale.

Spiritual exhaustion still leaves openings where a person can feel themselves returning in moments. A conversation helps. Beauty helps. Meaning still flickers somewhere inside the fatigue. The person still recognizes themselves underneath the weariness, even if access feels harder than usual.

That distinction is important because spiritual exhaustion and depression can sometimes resemble each other closely. Both can flatten joy. Both can drain motivation. Both can make life feel heavier. Both can make you feel disconnected.

They are easy to comfuse. I have seen spiritual communities treat depression like weak faith. I have seen other people dismiss every spiritual struggle as chemistry and clinical symptoms while leaving no room for grief, meaning, loneliness, or soul weariness. Neither extreme tells the whole truth.

A spirit can become weary. A mind can become ill. Sometimes both happen together. The difference is often a matter of persistence and depth. Depression can become more consuming and more complete. Rest stops helping consistently. Things that once brought comfort stop reaching the person the way they once did. Emotional numbness deepens. The world itself can begin losing texture and color for longer stretches of time. again, this sounds a lot like spiritual exhaustion. I can’t emphasize enough that if you experiecne any of these symptoms and nothing seem to help, that deserves serious care. Sometimes prayer is part of that care. Sometimes therapy is part of that care. Sometimes medication is part of that care. Sometimes rest, honesty, grief work, community, or major life change become part of that care too. Most people need some combination of those things.

I think wisdom begins with telling the truth about what kind of exhaustion is actually present instead of forcing every form of suffering into one explanation. Because the body matters. The mind matters. The spirit matters. Different kinds of exhaustion ask for different kinds of care.

Be Blessed,

Papa Eli

If this conversation resonated with you, you are always welcome at the table here at Crossroads & Wellspring. I share weekly reflections, energy readings, and quieter spiritual conversations throughout the week for those who want to stay connected to the work. For a small monthly offering, I also offer daily insigths and offer glimpses into my world.

If you find yourself wanting more personal clarity around your own season of life, my readings and spiritual advisory sessions are available here as well.

Today, Oshun asks you to restore what fear has drained.

Feed your spirit by choosing one action that helps you feel trust, gratitude, and momentum.

Let the water return.

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