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

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Just a Human

From the Da Vinci Enigma Tarot, the Eight of Earth (Pentacles); from the Insectorum Divinorum, the Caterpillar:
 Where are your skills needed?
          In these sketches, Leonardo made of a study of the body as it moved in various actions of work. It was one of the many ways he honed his craft to become a great artist. The dimmi above seems to ask a two-fold question: where do I need to become more skillful and how will these talents then be applied? The majority of my 'work' (not including home and family) is in mentoring other folks in recovery. Like many people in helping professions, I find it is easy to forget to take care of myself. But it's hard to be of benefit when I'm not pausing to nourish, restore and check-in with my own body and mind. The Caterpillar represents potential not yet realized. Rupp-Spangle writes in the lwb that a period of growth and development is necessary. It may include a lot of work with little reward for the time being, so patience is needed. I may have skills that are needed out in the world, but that doesn't negate my own growth and care.
Gently accept your humanness. – Deborah Day

8 comments:

  1. Love the quote. We are all just human. I can easily relate to giving too much without filling my own well from time to time. It is heartbreaking how we neglect our own needs so quickly when others need our help

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    1. I see this a lot with people who are caretakers of elderly parents or sick spouses. It can be difficult to remember to take care of our own needs when in the midst of caring for others.

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  2. There seems to be lots of images of caterpillars outside the cage, mirroring all the images of the baseball players. Are they all waiting their turn in the cage, or batter's cage? Is everything we do leading to a moment?

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    1. Got to eat the right kind of leaves to turn into a butterfly. :)

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  3. Many days I'm embarrassed to be a human. I mark it off to a cynical nature, but I'd be comforted if I were less so. Or would that be sticking my head in the sand? And on and on....

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    1. Hard to find a balance sometimes between being irresponsible and overly responsible.

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  4. This reminds me of some research - sorry I can't remember the reference...on how workers in the helping professions are not seen as bodies with needs. So we have to try extra hard to remember to pause and restore.

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    1. If we don't recognize it ourselves, our clients and employers likely won't either.

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