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

Friday, April 24, 2015

Building a Foundation for Change

From the Prisma Visions Tarot, the Six of Swords; from the Secret Language of Color Cards, "Red:"
          Have you are tried to change a strongly held belief? The Six of Swords and the Red card imply that to free myself from pain, I must change my ideas. Even the trees and butterflies are pointed in a new direction, but I'm not so sure about that bridge made of swords. It looks unsafe and scary. How do you transform habitual thought patterns? Positive affirmations have never proved useful for me, probably because I didn't believe a word of what I was saying.  I can distract myself with activities for a time, but those thoughts just wait patiently until I've relaxed my guard. I ran across a blog by mindfulness teacher Melli O’Brien, who wrote about changing negative thinking. Here is a summation of her four keys that can be a foundation for change:

1. Recognize Negative Thought Patterns
Negative thought patterns are repetitive, unproductive thoughts that serve no real purpose and directly cause negative emotions.
2. Dis-identify From Negative Thinking
Instead of trying to outrun your thoughts, watch them. Become an impartial witness, as if you were a scientist observing a subject.
3. Mindfulness of the Moment
Most negative thoughts flow from the past or the future. Use the five senses to bring your mind back to the here and now. Give the present moment your undivided attention.
4. Choose Constructive Thoughts Instead of Destructive Thoughts
Positive or constructive thoughts help you effectively face your day-to-day situations. These thoughts allow you to put problems in perspective and deal with them in a practical way. List your resources and options. What has worked well in the past? What are some new techniques to try? Make a simple, flexible plan of action.
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12 comments:

  1. EllenApril 24, 2015 at 8:00 AM

    Positive affirmations have never proved useful for me, probably because I didn't believe a word of what I was saying. " Ha ha that's sounds familiar. the mindfulness keys are so much more pragmatic!
    I noticed that both sides of the bridge have the same landscape so you cannot outrun your negative thinking.

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    1. thesycamoretreeApril 24, 2015 at 8:12 AM

      You said it - "pragmatic." I'm such a practical person, I generally respond better to practical techniques. :) And you're right, there's no outrunning those thoughts!

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    2. RoseApril 24, 2015 at 9:15 AM

      Seeing these two images side by side, Rumi comes to mind..."Let the beauty you love be what you do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground." That's about as positively affirmative as I'm capable of lol.

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    3. thesycamoretreeApril 24, 2015 at 10:42 AM

      Even the pragmatic me loves the mystics! :)

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  2. AnonymousApril 24, 2015 at 12:06 PM

    These go well together colour-wise--love that. And by golly they load like lightning in my browser, the faeries have been at work.;-)))

    I'm very pragmatic too and affirmations don't do it for me, although I persist in trying. But sitting there saying "What is this?" as some sort of thought hunts me down does work.

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    1. thesycamoretreeApril 24, 2015 at 2:55 PM

      Yea for it loading faster - I'll have to personally thank that pixie for her help and suggestions. ;)
      Its been fun to pair these two decks up; I like the color blend too. Glad to know I'm not the only one that struggles with affirmations. I have to "look for the evidence" when my thoughts try to manipulate me.

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  3. Inner WhispersApril 24, 2015 at 1:26 PM

    Positive affirmations alone are not enough, because our critical minds come up with judgements and denials. That was part of what fueled me to look more deeply into magic. A fundamental requirement is to alter your state of consciousness, to get around that nitpicking part :D I'm sure mindfulness works, too, but it requires a lot of discipline...

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    1. thesycamoretreeApril 24, 2015 at 2:57 PM

      Now I'm wondering if magic isn't a sort of mindfulness in its own unique way. The focus may be different but....

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    2. Inner WhispersApril 24, 2015 at 4:05 PM

      It's an interesting question: how much are mindfulness, meditation and magic the same, and where might they differ? I see magic as being more directed than meditation, but mindfulness can have that same goal-orientedness, in some ways... :)

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  4. UnknownApril 25, 2015 at 10:44 AM

    Never been a affirmation kinda person either Bev. I'm a hopeful sort. Think positive, don't dwell on the negative and try to stay grateful for living in the present moment. I do my spiritual daily maintenance.

    As far as the sword bridge goes Adventure is always a risk and scary, and that's how I grow.

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    1. thesycamoretreeApril 25, 2015 at 11:18 AM

      I suppose any change feels a bit scary, even the good ones!

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    2. UnknownApril 25, 2015 at 11:21 AM

      True dat! Lots of those situations!

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