The lovers card indicates a choice to be made. I sought further clarification and drew the Queen of Swords. According to the book this can mean denying oneself intellectual or career development. Makes a lot of sense. I have really neglected these aspects over the past couple of years. There is no time right now to pick up my PhD but pick it up I will. For now as the lovers card suggests I am going to surrender to what is left of the weekend and later to sleep as my body and mind need. Sunday, 27 November 2016
Surrender
Saturday's Cards, The Druid Craft Tarot, The Lovers and The Queen of Swords.
The lovers card indicates a choice to be made. I sought further clarification and drew the Queen of Swords. According to the book this can mean denying oneself intellectual or career development. Makes a lot of sense. I have really neglected these aspects over the past couple of years. There is no time right now to pick up my PhD but pick it up I will. For now as the lovers card suggests I am going to surrender to what is left of the weekend and later to sleep as my body and mind need.
The lovers card indicates a choice to be made. I sought further clarification and drew the Queen of Swords. According to the book this can mean denying oneself intellectual or career development. Makes a lot of sense. I have really neglected these aspects over the past couple of years. There is no time right now to pick up my PhD but pick it up I will. For now as the lovers card suggests I am going to surrender to what is left of the weekend and later to sleep as my body and mind need. 
Enough to know a path is there
Friday's Card, The Druid Craft Tarot, Three of Wands
The guidebook says that this card is about hard work bearing fruit.
Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm write 'your ideas, energy and enthusiasm now begin to yield positive and definite results particularly in the fields of business, communications, writing and invention'.
I suppose I can see some signs of green shoots in my learners assignments which came in this week.
But like the man in the picture my focus is on my own learning journey now (my research and writing which has taken a back seat for two years now). I don't know where the path leads it is enough to know that there is a path. Put one foot in front of the other...
The guidebook says that this card is about hard work bearing fruit.
Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm write 'your ideas, energy and enthusiasm now begin to yield positive and definite results particularly in the fields of business, communications, writing and invention'.
I suppose I can see some signs of green shoots in my learners assignments which came in this week.
But like the man in the picture my focus is on my own learning journey now (my research and writing which has taken a back seat for two years now). I don't know where the path leads it is enough to know that there is a path. Put one foot in front of the other...
Onwards and upwards
Thursday's Card, The DruidCraft Tarot, Eight of Cups
On Thursday I asked a specific question - should I leave my job (I already knew the answer really) and here it is the eight of cups. The moving on card. The guidebook explains that one of the hardest wisdoms the heart acquires is knowing when to leave a situation - to let go.
So many times in my life I have waited until things have become absolutely intolerable before letting go. I have been receiving (and ignoring) messages that this role isn't the right one for me for a long time. Last weekend I was metaphorically but almost literally on the floor. As the book suggests it is time to embrace something new.
I am thankful that things have got so bad that I realise the only way is up and out. I am also thankful that I now know exactly what kind of work I don't want to do which will help me make better decisions about what I want to do next. in every crisis an opportunity...
On Thursday I asked a specific question - should I leave my job (I already knew the answer really) and here it is the eight of cups. The moving on card. The guidebook explains that one of the hardest wisdoms the heart acquires is knowing when to leave a situation - to let go. So many times in my life I have waited until things have become absolutely intolerable before letting go. I have been receiving (and ignoring) messages that this role isn't the right one for me for a long time. Last weekend I was metaphorically but almost literally on the floor. As the book suggests it is time to embrace something new.
I am thankful that things have got so bad that I realise the only way is up and out. I am also thankful that I now know exactly what kind of work I don't want to do which will help me make better decisions about what I want to do next. in every crisis an opportunity...
The hermit says no
Wednesday's Card The DruidCraft Tarot, The Hermit
I asked a specific question on Wednesday about whether I should get involved in a work discussion in which there is disagreement.
The Hermit accompanied by the wolf (symbolising self-constraint, inner wisdom and power) says no. There are times when it is important to withdraw from the distractions and dramas of the outer world and focus on the inner quest. The guidebook says that as we sleep at night we make a spiritual journey to the otherworld which is a source of renewal. Hence why insomnia (a result of too much distraction) is so harmful.
The advice is to allow dramas and distractions to take care of themselves. More importantly to trust in the light of the Hermit even if the path ahead seems dark and lonely and know that my inner guide and animal spirit companion are there to counsel and protect me. Here goes!
I asked a specific question on Wednesday about whether I should get involved in a work discussion in which there is disagreement.
The Hermit accompanied by the wolf (symbolising self-constraint, inner wisdom and power) says no. There are times when it is important to withdraw from the distractions and dramas of the outer world and focus on the inner quest. The guidebook says that as we sleep at night we make a spiritual journey to the otherworld which is a source of renewal. Hence why insomnia (a result of too much distraction) is so harmful.
The advice is to allow dramas and distractions to take care of themselves. More importantly to trust in the light of the Hermit even if the path ahead seems dark and lonely and know that my inner guide and animal spirit companion are there to counsel and protect me. Here goes!
How?
Tuesday's Card The DruidCraft Tarot, Ten of Wands
A heavy load. As the guidebook suggests I tend to accept work with an attitude of mature responsibility and without complaint. I have had to be self-reliant from an early age. As a child I learned not to ask for help as my parents couldn't provide it. Perhaps I am still trailing that now or perhaps there is a problem with my idea of leadership (never burden or trouble the team with my own problems). I don't even tell them when I pick up their work.
This card does signal the dangers of overwork and burnout. The suggestion is to delegate but the last time I tried to do that it threw up a whole heap of conflict at work. What would happen I just dropped all the wands?
A heavy load. As the guidebook suggests I tend to accept work with an attitude of mature responsibility and without complaint. I have had to be self-reliant from an early age. As a child I learned not to ask for help as my parents couldn't provide it. Perhaps I am still trailing that now or perhaps there is a problem with my idea of leadership (never burden or trouble the team with my own problems). I don't even tell them when I pick up their work. This card does signal the dangers of overwork and burnout. The suggestion is to delegate but the last time I tried to do that it threw up a whole heap of conflict at work. What would happen I just dropped all the wands?
withdraw, retreat, self care
Monday's card, The DruidCraft Tarot, Four of Swords.
Like the guidebook suggests I have been through a period of intense work - 57% of my annual workload has been crammed into 15 weeks. The card also suggests there has been some conflict. There is someone at work who is trying to implicate me in an argument that I don't want to have.
This card suggests the approach I have been taking and want to take is correct. This is a time for withdrawal and retreat. The card also suggests a need for respite. I have been to the docs and got medication for my insomnia to get me through the next few weeks. Long term I have decisions to make.
Like the guidebook suggests I have been through a period of intense work - 57% of my annual workload has been crammed into 15 weeks. The card also suggests there has been some conflict. There is someone at work who is trying to implicate me in an argument that I don't want to have. This card suggests the approach I have been taking and want to take is correct. This is a time for withdrawal and retreat. The card also suggests a need for respite. I have been to the docs and got medication for my insomnia to get me through the next few weeks. Long term I have decisions to make.
Sunday, 6 November 2016
Hairway to Heaven
Daily Draw, Tarot de Marseilles, The Star
Every hair on a person's head was a heavenly creation so said a Lutheran pastor c1600. For this reason a 'proper' hairstyle praised God. In Reformation Europe, a time of religious tensions, the style of a man's hair or beard were easy ways of judging his religious affiliations. People's everyday performances of hair and their innovative usage of head, facial, body and animal hair mirrored fundamental religious and social changes at that time.
According to Cambridge historian Stefan Hanss 'The Reformation turned hair into a highly contested issue...A community's religious purity was defined by its inhabitants' bodily, as well as social behaviour, so hairstyles were a way of demonstrating religious conformity.'
Preachers encouraged their parishioners to adopt hairstyles appropriate to their age, gender and status. Women were were discouraged from displaying curly flowing tresses (like Miss Star here) in public.
Deviance outraged God's honour. In 1582 a French noblewoman Charlotte Duples-Mornay scandalously wore curls to receive the eucharist. This act was considered sufficiently audacious to warrant an official investigation which resulted in the excommunication of her entire family.
As good grooming equalled godliness ruining someone's hair was a popular way of discrediting them. Violent attacks such as pulling off wigs or tearing out beards were quite common.
As hair was a marker of religious, cultural, personal and social status its loss was a serious matter. This association between hair and status can be observed in the way that the authorities sentenced certain criminals to forced shavings.
With hair being used express social, political and scholarly affiliations, hairstyling was to make identities and cultural hierarchies a material reality.
Every hair on a person's head was a heavenly creation so said a Lutheran pastor c1600. For this reason a 'proper' hairstyle praised God. In Reformation Europe, a time of religious tensions, the style of a man's hair or beard were easy ways of judging his religious affiliations. People's everyday performances of hair and their innovative usage of head, facial, body and animal hair mirrored fundamental religious and social changes at that time.
According to Cambridge historian Stefan Hanss 'The Reformation turned hair into a highly contested issue...A community's religious purity was defined by its inhabitants' bodily, as well as social behaviour, so hairstyles were a way of demonstrating religious conformity.'
Preachers encouraged their parishioners to adopt hairstyles appropriate to their age, gender and status. Women were were discouraged from displaying curly flowing tresses (like Miss Star here) in public.
Deviance outraged God's honour. In 1582 a French noblewoman Charlotte Duples-Mornay scandalously wore curls to receive the eucharist. This act was considered sufficiently audacious to warrant an official investigation which resulted in the excommunication of her entire family.
As good grooming equalled godliness ruining someone's hair was a popular way of discrediting them. Violent attacks such as pulling off wigs or tearing out beards were quite common.
As hair was a marker of religious, cultural, personal and social status its loss was a serious matter. This association between hair and status can be observed in the way that the authorities sentenced certain criminals to forced shavings.
With hair being used express social, political and scholarly affiliations, hairstyling was to make identities and cultural hierarchies a material reality.
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