Lighting Candles

From the Osho Zen Tarot, the Queen of Wands; from the A'HA Oracle, Creativity:

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle. -James Keller

The Queen of Wands loves to be a mentor to others regarding how to do things, from creating a holiday centerpiece to writing a resume. She'll share her knowledge and talents generously, without ever feeling like someone might take away her 'shine.' It is her way to nurture and encourage others. However, she would agree with Mary Lou Cook: “Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” Once we learn the basics, we can enjoy doing our own thing. Taking time for play, curiosity, and imagination without borders will bring us the inspiration we need.

The Art of Creativity

From the Everyday Enchantment Tarot, the Magician; from the MentorSpirit Cards, 'Creativity:'

          This Magician knows there's a lot of perspiration that comes between his inspiration for a flower garden and the manifestation of it. It's easy to get caught up in the mental planning of things - imagining first what the end result will look like and then working backward to figure out the materials needed and the order of action. Daydreaming manifests great ideas but nothing concrete, so the Magician is willing to put in the effort too. Creativity is the ability to transcend the traditional in order to come up with new forms and ideas. It's easy to get wowed by the work of others and feel like we don't have a drop of originality or talent in us. But the Magician would tell us to just start digging and see what shape our wispy ideas take. Author Anne Lamott encourages us not to be afraid of shitty first drafts, as they are what grease the wheels of fresh, bold thinking. As cartoonist Scott Adams wrote, "Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep."

A Breath of Fresh Air

From the Tarot of the Radiant Path, the Page of Swords; from Mirrors of the Heart, Creativity:

          This Page of Swords is surrounded by flowers around his feet and blowing in the breeze. They are symbols of words and ideas that will both teach and inspire him in positive ways. His sword is planted in the ground rather than held in his hands (which are open to receive the flowers swirling about him). His focus is firmly on learning and listening for the moment. The Creativity card suggests how he'll be stimulated to use the revelations and information he gathers. Since he is a member of the Swords family, my guess is that writing or speaking will be in his future. I was thrilled yesterday to discover Coursera (an online option for non-credited college courses) thanks to a blog post by Sharyn. I love to learn new things, and they nearly always inspire me to create outside my comfort zone. JJ's 52 Week Sketch Challenge, for instance, is what prompted me to produce the Elements of Recovery Deck. Processing new information can be like a breath of fresh air.

A Better Way, Perhaps?

This week I'll be using the Osho Zen Tarot, created by Ma Deva Padma with Osho and published by St. Martin's Press. I'll also be using the A'HA Oracle, created and self-published by Linnie Lambrechtsen. The card draws for today are the Page of Water (Cups) and Creativity:

          This card is an interesting take on the Page of Cup's kindness and sensitivity to others. The birds encourage the lone bird to fly out of its self-made cage and join them. 12 Step groups are likewise known for their encouragement rather than judgment; their motto is "perhaps there is a better way." Spiral Dynamics has been a helpful model for me in understanding why some people hold the worldviews that they do. Life conditions and available psychological tools determine the "size" of one's perspective; when these change, thinking changes. The Creativity card seems to parallel this idea, suggesting a willingness to think outside of the box. While it sounds like a wonderful goal, this approach is not easy for most people. We feel secure in our tiny cages - the discomfort we know seems better than the daunting unknown. Usually only when the pain of complacency outweighs the fear of the new are we willing to take flight. But how extraordinary it is to be welcomed by understanding, caring people who will help us test our new wings.

Clearing a Backlog

From the Touchstone Tarot, the Empress:

What a lovely image for the Empress - flowers, a hare, a cornucopia and a very pregnant woman. As I turned over this card, my first thought was, "I wonder who or what will need my nurturing today." But a clear thought rapidly followed it: "You." I always have good intentions of taking time for myself, but if there is someone else who needs help, I'll generally push my intentions aside for later. The only problem is there is always someone who needs something, so I end up with a backlog of those self-care plans. Yet there is a sickle in this image, reminding me that I need to harvest all those ideas instead of shelving them for later. After all, even Mother Earth takes a bit of a break in the winter.

From the Oracle of the Grail Code comes "Creativity:"

Sometimes the combined daily tarot and oracle cards are so bluntly obvious in their meaning they make me laugh - as today. In the Grail Code card, one woman holds a baby, two others play musical instruments, another holds a book of poetry she's written, and another (unseen) paints the whole picture. I am convinced creativity is as much a necessary part of me as breathing and eating. If I am feeling restless, bored or irritable, expressing myself creatively always seems to help. I might not play the bodhran like Tommy Hayes, write poetry like Mary Oliver, or draw like Will Worthington, but I have a lot of fun doing all those things. It's not about making money, it's about nurturing my spirit.

Lessons from an Icon

From the Millennium Tarot, the King of Pentacles:

George Washington would roll over in his grave if he could see this artistic rendering of himself wearing a crown; the armor peeking out from beneath the robe is more his style.  Elected unanimously as the first President of the United States, Washington had the ability to rally disconnected or opposing groups of people into a whole, whether it was as the leader of an army or a new country.  He was a major influence in the creation of a strong, well-financed national government and a profitable trade agreement with Great Britain.  In his Farewell Address, Washington made three points relevant to Americans as a group or as individuals today:
1) "avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace" - try diplomacy and compromise first (it's usually cheaper)
2) "to have revenue there must be taxes" - you don't get something for nothing
3) "[avoid] ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear” - don't create a mess and leave it for someone else to clean up

From the Success Cards comes "Creativity:"

"The joy of spirit lies in action." ~ P.B. Shelley

Though the urge to create may come in many shapes and colors, it seems to be an intrinsic part of most everyone.  But in the booklet, Ricci makes a good point: "However, before anything else, it is essential to put one's mental chaos in order, if one wants to concretely realize one's creative impulse."  How many people, from politicians to painters, have big ideas about creating something but don't take the time to sit down and figure out how to accomplish it?  Usually all that gets created is a lot of hot air...