Saturday, March 25, 2017
It's Not a Competition
From the Animal Totem Tarot, the Five of Swords; from the Organic Oracle, Harmonious Variety:
With spikes like a hedgehog, and a nose like and anteater, this egg-laying mammal wouldn't win any beauty contests. But the echidna probably wouldn't win for most unusual animal either (just Google that and you'll see what I mean). Most of us wouldn't consider ourselves the prettiest, smartest, or most creative of all, but what happens when someone is chosen over us (a spouse who swaps for a younger version, a boss who ignores hard work and promotes the employee with swagger or an artist given a showing because of family connections)? Do we stomp off with our resentment in hand, cursing and vowing revenge? Do we go home, pull the cover over our heads and wallow in self-pity? Echidna asks, "What do you do when things don't go as planned?" The Harmonious Variety card was created with three colors of paint: cobalt blue, red and silver. Look closely and you'll see hints of each, but overall it appears as a swirl of purplish indigo. Competition is not the goal, but rather learning to work and live together with compassion. We all have our own niche that is necessary to create this harmony. Trying to be 'better than' is an impossible task; even those who are the most beautiful, skillful and talented will eventually be replaced.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What do you do when things don't go as planned? When does it ever? :)
ReplyDeleteI try to prevent swearing and blaming others and next I make myself a nice cup of coffee and pause and breath and try to let go of any resentment.
Heehee, very rarely do things go as planned. :) My inner child usually pitches a hissy fit, but I try to console and give her a broader view of reality. :D
Deletenot picked. I pretend I'm flouncing from the room, immediately feel better. Rob didn't understand the concept so anytime I see someone doing it in a movie, I point it out :) He is starting to get it
ReplyDeleteFlouncing - attitude with style. :D
DeleteCompeting with others seems so limiting. Competing with self far more motivating for me.
ReplyDeletePS I've been reading your posts with the Margarete Petersen deck. Really great work :)
I think competing with oneself produces much better results too.
DeleteThank you (regarding the MP comment). It is a deck that begs to be read intuitively for me.
I seem to run into people who mistake my enthusiasm for competitiveness which has caused them to be...snarky.
ReplyDeleteOne woman had planned a doll project with two others who dropped out. I felt sorry for her so offered to do an exercise and sent her instructions for embroidery and away we went. Singing my praises for helping her out, she gradually deteriorated into having her doll make comments about the other girls in class and how it wasn't a competition. WTF thought I, I am trying to help YOU. I discovered why other people refused to work with her. SHE was the competitive one, projecting such a trait on others.
Totally baffling. Competitiveness is the handmaiden of envy and jealousy. I like to make stuff, this sort of b.s. goes over my head. Prickly people projecting. The triple P of danger!!
Competing with yourself is a lot of fun, very satisfying. None of that constant comparing and competition that gets so tiresome with a certain type of person.
(Oh, you touched a button there Bev!) Goes to hide under covers..
I'm so glad I saw you use this deck on your blog - it's great. :)
DeleteI too can be overly enthusiastic when I'm involved in creative projects; My eagerness has been labeled 'controlling' or 'pushy.' I'm learning to tell folks from the get-go to speak up if they feel I'm dragging them in a direction they don't want to go. Like you, I just want to have fun, not deal with drama!