Saturday, February 28, 2015

Problem solving with tarot

This morning, when I woke up, I didn't feel that great. I was obsessing about, now please don’t laugh, which journal I would like to use for the coming time. This is an obsession which has been going on for as long as I write in my journals. I go back and forth between several formats and almost never really finish one. Sometimes I write everything in one book, or I use multiple journals; for each subject a different notebook. And don’t get me started about the actual journals I can choose from: ring-bound, spiral bound, hardcover, digital, A4, A5, A6, lined grid, blank…. the possibilities are endless. A typical first world problem or maybe a cover-up for an underlying issue. When I feel this anxious it is very hard to let go of. So instead of obsessing about it even further, I flipped trough my deck and picked a few cards face- up which visualize how I feel.
Universal Waite Tarot, Seven of Cups, two of Swords, Ace of Pentacles, Five of Wands

In short:
When too many choices are available, I get stuck, unable to move, while in my mind the quarrel is constantly going on and without a winner. The only thing I have to do is take of my blindfold get up and receive the gift of choosing one possibility, be content with it and start journaling. This will lead me through the gate towards freedom.
It is so easy. All I have to do is make one decision and release the illusion I have to solve this dilemma for eternity. Just choose for today and be happy with it.
Is it just me, or does any of you have such nagging, not at all crucial, long lasting, dilemma too?

14 comments:

  1. I totally understand having too many choices. It's why I have a list of decks and go down the list choosing a different one each week - the next on the list - unless I get a new one. It's why my exercise videos are stacked so that I do the one on the bottom, then place it on top when I'm done. I can waste all my time trying to decide if I don't have some orderly system in place!

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    1. Thanks for sharing and I am happy you've found your pentacle; something that works for you.
      For me it is very difficult to stick with a system. Instead of feeling freed of too many choices I would feel confined and would feel the urge to change the system. :D

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    2. I can be flexible within the system. :) If its gray outside and I want a colorful deck to use, I might skip over a few to find one. If my back is aching, I'm not going to do any kind of exercise that might aggravate it, so I might skip the next video to one that's more low impact. :)

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    3. Ha ha, you are way more flexible than I am :D

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  2. that is so funny but understandable. I used to have the same problem when I visit your blog, what tab will you be under today? :) Have I missed something if I click on tarot? Did I miss something yesterday because I chose Lenormand? Fortunately by Following your current post is on top and the choices become unnecessary. Perhaps you are to choose the journal on top of the pile? :)

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    1. Ha ha, It is good to hear I am not the only one with "quirky" little obsessions. ""Choose the one on top" I wish it was that easy. I am happy to say I've made my choice and we'll see how long I will stick to it but for now I have "journal peace"

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  3. Ellen :) You are note alone. I can certainly obsessive compulsive about certain things. Unfortunately they are often not so healthy but fortunately these have lessened over the years. Being a Youth Care Worker for over 20 years, I learned that if kids have too many chooses or options they can't choose. I think adults are no different. I have two decks I use regularly and one journal for my random daily running thoughts, that's it. I do have other journals for particular things, but not that I need to use daily. I'd be confused otherwise...more than I already am ;) or I could just to nail one foot to the floor, but I'd still be just going around in circles!

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    1. Thank you for sharing you thoughts on this subject Catherine!
      My word for 2015 is Simplicity! Maybe it is time I'd bring some of that into my daily life and how I organize it.
      Thanks for reminding me of the beauty of simple living. May I ask what the other deck is you like to use?

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    2. 'Keep it simple', is my favourite slogan that we have in AA. Life is complicated enough without me adding to it. I have an analytical mind and can really drive myself doolally!

      You are most welcome Ellen. When I started with my first deck it was Rider Waite Colman-Smith. Then I picked up a great little Tarot-to-go deck, just tiny cards from the Hanson-Roberts deck. Very simple, and to the point.

      Then my friend, he gave my the Mythic deck which was perfect for me because of the archetypal Greek/Jungian imagery, myth, story, and meaning. This relates very much to my art work, and to my AA Recovery program.

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    3. Ha ha I love the word "doolally".
      Silly us making our life unnecessary complicated. Although I realize we are sole responsible for allowing chaos entering our lives, I also have to point a finger to the media. They idolize gathering a huge variety of stuff and urge us to make choices about everything and nothing which at a certain point can become hard to deal with.
      I love how you devote yourself to the Mythic Tarot. it is a really in depth bond you have with this deck
      Hanson Roberts: I have this little classic deck too. It is soft en gentle to work with.

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  4. I love how you share your humanity here, and all done with such lovely attention to the visual, too. Which tells me that those kinds of things are not only meaningful to you, but integral to how you orient yourself in the world. For me beauty is paramount to a sane, meaningful and resonant life. For others, it's not that beauty is unimportant it's more that their focus leads them to move from a different place. I sense you're in the beauty camp ;)

    Anyway I can get very carried away with the expansiveness of choices--hello Two of Swords. It's a fun world to live in because it's limitless but the greening earth beckons with its practical details, its requirement to be aware of time, of boundary, of one foot in front of the other. All this to say there's room for all of you! I love this quote from Rumi...

    "Let the beauty you love be what you do, there are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground"

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    1. Thank you for your elaborate comment Rose. A daily quest for beauty while remembering to maintain our peace of mind isn't always easy. As always it is all a matter of balance. That is why I search for beauty and abundance in simplicity.:)
      The quote is beautiful, as are so many of his writings.

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  5. Ha ha, I don't have many journals, but I can definitely get that way trying to decide which deck to use! I like Bev's suggestion of having a list of decks, then staying flexible to mood and new arrivals :). And I love the solution you came up with for your own dilemma, Ellen!

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    1. I do experience this "deck problem" sometimes but not as severe as the journal dilemma :) I like to find solutions by writing things down and that way blogging can be very helpful

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