The Process

This week I'll be using the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, created by David Sheridan and Alfred Douglas and published by Sheridan Douglas Press. The oracle deck I'll be using is Pages of Shustah, created by Ann Manser and Cecil North and published by Shustah Inc. Today's draws are the Hermit and the Gnomes:

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility. 

—Eleanor Roosevelt

The Hermit suggests seeking solitude for reflection, exploration and examination. When there is a great upheaval in our lives, whether it is change for the good or something awful, we need time to process things once the dust settles. With compassion, we ask ourselves what our spirit needs to replenish itself. We look to see how we handled things, and if there were moments when we might have made a better choice. Then we consider what would be the most beneficial ways to adapt to this new normal. Gnomes represent hard work and being tenacious in the face of challenges. Contemplation is just the first step of adjustment; we must follow that up with action. 

Where Attention Goes

From the Sheridan-Douglas Tarot, Temperance; from the Pages of Shustah, the Gnomes:

          With one foot on land and one in the water, Temperance advocates a mix of mind and heart, logic and compassion. Easier said than done. Yet the Gnomes, who represent diligence, offer a suggestion for moving through life with moderation. They stay on task and don't worry about how someone else is doing their job. They pay attention so that they don't disturb or get caught in any sticky webs nearby. When we get distracted by our opinions rather than facts and find our hearts constricted by 'shoulds' instead of kindness, we've lost our way on the middle path.

What we choose to go looking for in life - the good or the bad - can have a dramatic effect on not only our view of the world, but on our sense of well-being as a result of that view.

~Zero Dean