I use tarot and oracle cards as tools for reflection and contemplation. Rather than divining the future, they are a way for me to look more deeply at the "now."
"The goal isn't to arrive, but to meander, to saunter, to make your life a holy wandering." ~ Rami Shapiro

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Half Empty or Half Full?

From the Fey Tarot, the Ace of Cups:
This young fey reminds me of the volunteers at 5K and marathon races who stand on the sidelines handing out bottles of water to the runners as they go by. The water is freely given, but the runner must pause long enough to grab it. I've noticed lately that the first thing I think of in the morning upon awakening is the list of obligations and duties I need to accomplish. There isn't anything fun or exciting on that list most days. Now I could gripe that I'm so busy taking care of other people and things that I don't have time, but that is only a half truth. I can pause like the runner and grab that water; it will refresh and renew my spirit so the work I do is performed with a more loving attitude.

From the I Misteri della Sibilla comes the card "Doctor / King of Clubs:"
Not knowing Italian, my first thought upon seeing this image was it was the Death card. But no, it represents a mature, kind person who gives advice on how to make things better (like a doctor). I fussed at a friend the other day who had broken a wrist but never finished her physical therapy after the cast was off. (She had been complaining that the wrist wasn't 100% and still bothered her.) Yet in many ways, I am no different. I want to take the shortest distance to the goal as possible, without taking care of my own needs along the way. It's like going on a trip and not wanting to stop at the interesting sites on the journey. That is a life that is half empty, not half full.


7 comments:

  1. It seems that is our main problem. We first have to do what is necessary and then we can do something for our selves. It is almost impossible for me to relax and read a book when the shopping has to be done. the floor has to be vacuumed etc.I wonder how life would be if we had been taught to act just the other way around?

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  2. My childhood training in chores taught me if I tear down the list there is always time to play afterward. It was the whining and procrastination that ate up my time. Still does :)

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    1. Procrastination is a devil in disguise

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    2. My problem is not that I procrastinate with chores and obligations - those I knock out first. But I will procrastinate with fun and pleasure if I think I should squeeze one more task in my day. So by the end of the day I've gotten a lot accomplished BUT not enjoyment and relaxation.

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  3. It's funny, this makes me think I do better than I might. I almost always make time for exercise, as I know it improves my mood and helps keep me strong enough to do the chores :) And so, something that I love also becomes something I allow myself because I know it does me good, like stopping for that water. Maybe if you find the ways in which your "water" also benefits others, you'd find it easier to make room for it...

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    1. That's true - I do make time for yoga and meditation in the early morning because it is sometimes the only thing that keeps me sane later in the day, lol.

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