Discovery class starts on Sunday, and to prepare I've been doing things to top up the creativity tank. The last few weeks have sucked a lot out of me, and I rather desperately need the refill. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on, particularly stuff I've been looking forward to but haven't read yet for one reason or another. I've been listening to my mp3 player and song samples on Amazon. (The first lesson is on creating a soundtrack for your book, and I'm really looking forward to that.) And yesterday I did something I haven't done in way too long-- I pulled out my tarot deck.
I have an on again/off again relationship with the tarot. It's an interesting study, but it is a study, a discipline. It takes work to master reading the cards, and work is something I haven't done much of in the last few years. (I'm trying really hard to purge the word "lazy" from my vocabulary. I am not lazy. I have chronic, involuntary health problems that suck up energy and brain power. There's a world of difference. Maybe if I keep telling myself that I'll believe it some day.)
Seven or eight years ago I took a tarot class, and periodically I pick up a book again and try to drum the meanings of the cards into my head. They don't stick. Probably because I need to stop reading the book and start looking at the cards. There's intuition in there somewhere, after all I'm a Scorpio. I just need to find a way to trust it.
Anyway, last night I picked up my cards and shuffled through them to see if anything jumped out at me. Two did:
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| Nine of Wands |
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Eight of Cups
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The Nine is from the deck I use, Hanson-Roberts, and is the card that made me want to buy the deck years ago. I couldn't find a Google image of the Eight from Hanson-Roberts, so this is the Rider-Waite image. They are very similar. Choosing the Eight was instinctive, but after thinking about it for a minute it totally makes sense. This card is about walking away, starting over, which is where I am right now. What didn't dawn on me right away is that the Nine has almost the exact opposite meaning: persevering, staying the course. I think the Nine might be the card of my life overall. My health is something that I will have to deal with every day for the rest of my life, and unless there's a major change in treatment options, I don't see it getting significantly better. But
the way I was attempting so soldier on just wasn't working for me. I had to walk away and start over. So in a weird way, these two contradictory cards really express where I am in my life.
I appreciate the insight, but I'm hoping that if I look through the cards again in a few days that they'll tell me a little bit about my characters this time!
Uh, becky, is it just me or does the nine of wands guy look like he's hurting himself pretty badly with the sword?
ReplyDeleteAll joking aside, I would like to learn more about this.
Yeah, Mr. Nine is looking pretty beat up. He's been through the wars. But he's still upright, if leaning on his staff a bit, and to me he looks like he's ready to wade right in again if necessary. There's something about the energy of this card that really captures my attention. I think someday, not for this book I don't think, but someday, I'll base a hero on this guy. To me, he screams hero material.
ReplyDeleteIt's odd, because I've always been taught that the Major Arcana are the big issue cards, and that the Minor Arcana are the smaller issues. But it's the Minor Arcana that really speak to me. Maybe because there is room for much more subtlety in the Minor Arcana.
Have I been living in a cave? Why didn't I click over here sooner? Jeez, ignore me, I'll just go through your archives and get all caught up.
ReplyDeleteNines are really powerful, turned on their sides they are infinity, so life lessons for sure here. You are right, read through the books, see the definitions suggested then toss them aside. Listen instead to what the cards say to you. I've never given the arcanas distinction all that much weight, the messages are more subtle than big/small issues. The more you touch and spend time with the cards the clearer you will hear them.
Julie