CW: There are depictions of drug paraphernalia and death.
Picture Descriptions: Five cards in a row. 10 of Swords reversed: Ruin, Ace of Cups, The Lovers reversed, Death, and 9 of Disks reversed: Gain. Ruin depicts cooking heroin in a spoon and drawing it up in a syringe with sword imagery all pointed to the center against a shadowy background. The Ace of Cups Depicts The Fountain of Bethesda in Central Park in front of a lake where someone is canoeing. An angel crowns the fountain, and luxury apartments are in the background. The Lovers depicts a couple kissing on their wedding day. Two intertwined candles have a bird and a lion at their base. The bride has an auburn bob, wears glasses and a white pillbox hat, and holds tulips. The groom is dark-skinned and is wearing a tuxedo. Death has a faceless doctor in front of a patient. The patient has pale feet, almost like they were carved from marble. The sheets are pulled back to show skeletal ribs. There are scarab beetles on the wall and a clock with no arms. Finally, 9 of Disks shows a person wearing a hair turban and black tank swimsuit lounging in a spa with cucumbers over their eyes. The spa has golden columns, and nine gold disks are arranged like a pyramid.
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It’s time for an accountability check-in. I successfully set up my first Power Automate flow with help and taught someone else how to do it for their location. I found comfortable shoes and picked out some bold glasses. I’ll share a picture once they come in. I did not go to bed early or paint my jeans. The kids and I have been meal planning, which has made a massive difference in our shopping habits. How was your week?
While waiting for my dad at the doctor’s office, I was reading a book, and one of the characters was a toddler who was carried everywhere. The lead noted, “This kid is never going to learn how to walk.” As a parent, it is a balancing act between nurturing and independence. I taught my colleague the process and released them to play and adapt it to their unique situation.
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready... The teacher will Disappear.”
― Tao Te Ching
This week, I draw inspiration from The Urban Tarot, written and illustrated by Robin Scott, the brilliant @Yinka Ewuola’s post about kindness, and a TikTok creator Aiza Ejaz. I will be using the TGROW framework for this post.
What Topic is our area of focus? Ruin depicts a type of addiction. I think it’s interesting that we end with a spa day because if we only focus on pleasure, that can also lead to ruin. Most of us are addicted to something. Some addictions are more socially acceptable than others. I am addicted to scrolling on my phone. This card is reversed, and I interpret it as ending the cycle. Ten in the tarot typically represents the end of a cycle and a beginning. Our mindset plays a huge role in our reality. I learned from Aiza Ejaz that I may also be addicted to making excuses and giving my power away. I want to focus on the habits that lead to ruin in my life. For me, they are procrastinating and people-pleasing. What habits are getting in your way? You don’t have to wait. I finally downloaded my bank statements to continue my budgeting journey.
What is the Goal or desired outcome? The Ace of Cups is the start of something new. Water is associated with emotions and renewal. It’s especially poignant given the recent events in California and places like Richmond and Flint that are without clean water. In the tradition I was raised in, water was used to cleanse our sins. The previous card had us in the throes of addiction, so what can help us to make a new start? A person is rowing a canoe, meaning we have the power to steer our lives. In my romance novel, the lead is a professional organizer mourning her mom, getting a divorce, and her life is a mess. Maybe she took a tip from Asmara Kazmi and decided to follow her brilliance. I have the tools to create the life I want. It’s a proven methodology, and I have overwhelmingly positive reviews from my clients. Although I have written bold posts about dying to the old me, maybe she is a little more tenacious than I’ve given her credit. What would your new life look like? Please write it down, draw it, or record a voice note. It doesn’t matter if you can’t draw, use stick figures if you have to. Many studies show that handwriting is better for memory and learning. I am more likely to achieve the things I commit to paper.
What is your current Reality? I shed a tear or two when I reflected on The Lovers. The card was reversed, and I could not help but think about the end of my marriage due to becoming a widow. The illustrator used their wedding photo as a reference. They are no longer the person they were in that picture. I am no longer the person in my wedding photo. Not only because I am a widow but also because I continue to evolve as a person. I am not ready to be in a new romantic relationship, but I am learning to be in a relationship with Stacy 2.0. The candles in the foreground are intertwined and produce a stronger flame. If I do all of the heavy lifting, I will burn out. Working with my clients is a collaborative effort. If I carry you, you will never learn to walk. If I expect someone to save me, I will never achieve my goals. We need to have a new relationship with how we think about ourselves. As Aiza reminds us, I am committed to loving myself for better or worse because that is the longest relationship I will be in.
What Options do we have? Death helps to clarify what is essential. Tomorrow is not promised, so I try to live every day as if it were my last, and if I am honest, I would not be proud of my recent accomplishments. I have let excuses and fear run my life. The person most responsible for my current state of affairs is me. No one is coming to save me; the only constants are death and taxes. The Death card comes up quite often for me because there are habits and things that no longer serve me. I’ve taught people that my time is not valuable. Everyone who I admire protects their time and keeps it sacred. There is a clear delineation between their public and private life. I’m the person most likely to cancel my plans to accommodate others. Again, I’m carrying the toddler instead of letting it learn to walk. Our biggest excuse is that we don’t have a choice. We always have a choice; we may not enjoy or want to deal with the consequences, so we choose the “safe” path. The political and climate events of the past year have shown us there are no safe places. What are your options when you release fear?
Finally, What is a Way forward? Hint: it’s probably not a spa day. Let’s take the Gain card literally as our dreams manifest. The card is reversed, and nine generally means we have attained the harvest of our labors. I’m not advocating for hustle culture. “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” – NKJV Bible Mark 8:36. There are no shortcuts. Putting the life you want on credit means you will have to pay the piper eventually. Since the card is reversed, the gold disks in the pyramid are smaller until there is only one left. What have we learned from our ruin? As you review your goals, also consider the pitfalls. Self-care sometimes means doing unglamorous things like making a budget, making plans, and taking out the trash. “Every problem contains within itself the seeds of its own solution.” Edward Somers. The Ruin contains the path to redemption. Who will you choose to become? The choice IS yours. Namaste
Ready to walk! The next Clarity Playshop will be Tuesday, January 28th, at 6:00 PM EST. Register here: https://forms.gle/W4oh7t7xNvJVR5pz7
It’s a great opportunity if you want to:
· Access your intuition and gain crystal-clear vision.
· Break free from analysis paralysis and make decisions with ease.
· Combat burnout and reclaim your creative spark
If you want to incorporate more play to help you deal with the heavy things, my current offerings are listed on my Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/thingstothinkabout. I also encourage you to share your experiences and strategies with the community. Your voice matters, and your journey can inspire others.
