Thoughts on healing

IMG_20190311_074608_570.jpgHealing is a path. It’s many paths on a lifelong journey. Sometimes we can see the path clearly and Forge ahead. Sometimes we choose to take a different path for a while. Sometimes the path is rambling with a beautiful view. Other times it’s intense, mud slogging, grueling. Do you know what path you’re on now? Spring’s coming signals a ripe opportunity to reconnect with your path. Spring’s promise is a time to make conscious choices about that path.

Why the Two of Wands here? This card asks us to take stock and notice scope. Where can we go? Where do we want to go? Can we align those through planning? We are about to take first steps and we must have a plan. We can detract from our plan, but we must have one to get us started and for focusing energy, time, and resources. My plan includes lots of good therapy, the Wild Soul Tarot school, chosen family and friends.

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Card study: Temperance

IMG_20190212_175825_516I love The Wild Unknown versions of so many cards because the artist manages to bring out so many of the subtleties of the cards. Thris deck can be a challenge to tarot newbies for sure. When I started reading again, it took me a long time to vibe with this deck. Once I let go of reading tarot with my brain and allowed my intuition to take over, I got the hang of this deck. It’s my go-to deck for myself and for others to whom I feel spiritually close. I occassionally will use it for a client read if that is the “hit” I get. But I only use it for clients with whom I have an existing relationship. This is an intimate deck for me that speaks to issues of the soul.

Temperance involves taking existing elements and combining them to create something new in the hopes of achieving balance. Remember that salient point, existing elements, when using this card. Also remember that this card, in addition to being one that tells us that balance is important in our life, also reminds us that creativity is needed. The act of creating is usually a means to realignment. Like the Page of Cups, this is a card for artists. It is a card that reminds us that we need our watery emotions and our fiery passion and physical self to create and to find balance.

Try to dig deeper when this card pops up. My thoughts on the majors is that they reflect to us what we already know on a gut or heart level, but do not allow to fully articulate in our minds. So the majors can sometimes feel nebulous. This card does speak to a need for balance, but a DEEPER balance. The soul’s purpose right now is not aligned. The soul is off-course. This is not a time for the soul to start something totally new. It is a time for us to see what we have around us that we can already use to get back on track. Think more Marie Kondo teaching people to take what already exists in their lives and find joy, purpose, and structure in that as opposed to Queer Eye giving a COMPLETE makeover.

Card study: The Hierophant

img_20190104_095602_758Getting back to doing card studies. Got a whole slot of studies for the next few weeks on Deck. Pun intended. This week we are going to look at the Hierophant. You can see all of the shapes that support the idea of structure. Structured learning is an important part of this card. But notice a few other details that give us further insights.

The bird in the upper left reminds us to always try to see the big picture and have perspective on what we are learning. Birds also symbolize our connection to our souls. So we should try to include our souls as well as our heads in our learning. Birds also symbolize our desire to connect to a higher power, however we define that.

The second thing to notice is the presence of both male and female energy here. Traditional learning can be very male-dominated. This rendition of the card reminds us that even within the bounds of structured learning, we should try to value all types of knowledge and ways of learning.

Card study: evergreen trees

Screen Shot 2018-08-22 at 3.31.33 PMThe Wild Unknown one of my favorite decks because it is ripe with Pacific Northwest imagery. I love the use of an evergreen tree to symbolize the emperor. Evergreens symbolize virtue and longevity. They are tenacious in establishing their roots and will grow tall, towering over other trees in the forest. They also represents the New Year, interestingly. The emperor often symbolizes the opportunity to build something new and strong.

Card study: yin yangs

Screen Shot 2018-05-30 at 4.08.53 PM.pngAll three of these cards carry some heavy intuitive energy with them. So it’s no surprise that they all feature a yin yang symbol. The symbol is full of meaning including the idea of the balance between Light and Shadow.

The yin side represents darkness and absorption. It is female energy. It is considered the passive side, but passive does not mean waiting around. It means waiting for the right time before we do something. It means we consider before we charge in.

The yang side encompasses male energy. It represents penetrating energy that is active and goes forward (sometimes without thinking!) The “male” energy and “female” energy are two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. The symbol asks us to consider what seemingly contradictory Energies are actually complementary? And we are asked to see in what ways the world around us is interconnected.

It also asks us, what do we know intuitively in ourselves that we need to bring out from the Shadow and into the Light in order to make better decisions? Are we favoring one side of the symbol, or do we seek the balance implied in this complex symbol?