Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? I do. I love new calendars full of unlived days. I love the not-completely-true suggestion that this year I’ll do all those things I always mean to do. I love the notion, as the sign I’ve had on my refrigerator for years says, that “You Can Change Your Life!”
In addition to “fear,” one of the words upon which I’ve been meditating lately is “thrive.” What does it mean to thrive? What would my life look like -- what would your life look like -- if we were thriving? What needs to change in order for us to thrive and which of those things are under our control? New Years Resolutions, for me, are all about figuring out how to thrive and doing what’s necessary in order to thrive.
Along those lines, I looked up this Mary Oliver poem for my friend Rachael this morning:
The Summer Day
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean--
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down--
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don't know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
And it got me thinking about thriving all over again. I love the final lines:
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
With your one wild and precious life?
So along with all my busy New Years Resolutions, goals, objectives, and lists of chores, along with my Filofax, Blackberry, laptop, cell phone, and iPod, along with the articles I want to write, the classes I’m going to take, and the projects I’m going to complete, I plan to spend more time this year “paying attention,” and “falling down into the grass, being idle and blessed.” I can’t think of a better way to thrive.
Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life in the coming year? How are you going to do it? Pick a tarot card and see what your subconscious is trying to tell you about thriving. I'll interpret it in the comments section if you like.
The Third Time is the Charm
1 month ago
68 comments:
You have a blog! Neat! I'll have to come by often.
That was weird. I knew what card I'd probably choose before I picked it.
Death.
EPT,
Nine of fire is a great card. Corresponds to the nine of wands in the standard Rider Waite deck. As it says on Lunea's website, this card is all about "surrendering fully to the flames of creativity, love, sexuality, but not consumed by them." 2006 could be an incredibly creative year for you and a year with a mature love in store. Can you paint, or dance, or sculpt what "thriving" would look like for you? You need to tap your creativity rather than your logical, right brain thinking.
chicago dyke,
Child of water is a card that tells you to be open to what's coming and to pay attention to your feelings. 2006 would be a good year for you to experience as many different things as you possibly can. Say "yes" to the unexpected opportunities that will come your way and don't be "afraid of your fear," if you know what I mean.
Pie,
The Death card doesn't mean that there will be a death in your life. It means that there will be a major change in the coming year. This is a major arcana card and so relates to something very important. Since you knew what card you'd pull, it's likely that you also know, on some level, what this coming change will be. Spend some quiet time alone, walking or sitting, and see if you can discern what's coming. The key to this card, as it says on Lunea's website, is to cast away what weighs you down on you journey, so that you may move forward into the new, unencumbered by fear, regret or sorrow...
And I selected the High Priestess (which has long been one of my favorites).
Diane
GWPDA,
What a great card! Do what Lunea says: "Open to love now, for the beloved is near..." If you check out the Two of Cups in the standard Rider Waite deck, you'll see a much more restrained couple than the one in Lunea's deck. Sometimes, this card is called "The Marriage of True Minds," signifying a love on a scale that transcends the physical. It can mean finding work or an avocation that one loves, as well as finding true, transcendent love. 2006 could be a wonderful year for you!
Hecate, yes, I know (figured out that much from the info given).
If the cards are right, there will be a major change. Hopefully, the change involves the house selling. I will move to AR and finally be reunited with my husband after a two-year separation.
I've been floating too long.
Uh-oh. I chose "Judgement." No good can possibly come of this...
BTW, I love your blog, Hecate. Keep up the good work!
Pie,
I think the card could be telling you that there will be a large emotional aspect to your planned move, in addition to all the more practical details. Give yourself time to adjust emotionally.
Diane,
The High Priestess is a major arcana card. Your subconscious is really trying to tell you something important. For you to thrive in the coming year, you'll need to investigate some things that seem very mysterious to you. The High Priestess is learned, she's studied for a long time to acquire her wisdom. What have you been thinking of studying?
Hecate, I got a tantra two of water. - karmic_jay
ThinlyVeiled,
Thank you!
Judgement is not a bad card at all. If you look at the standard Rider Waite deck, the image looks very much like the standard figure of justice we all grew up with. Your subconscious could be telling you a couple of things about thriving in the coming year. First, use some judgement! Unlike chidyke, you need to use your logical, linear, thought processes. Second, if you've been judging yourself too harshly, now would be a great time to do whatever you can to make amends and then, deliberately, consciously, forgive yourself and move on. Write down your "guilt" on a piece of paper and burn it or fold it into a boat and set it asail on a nearby stream. Let it go. Finally, work for justice. If there's a cause you care about deeply, working on it this year could help make 2006 one of the best years of your life.
karmic jay,
Well, you, like GWPDA could have a wonderful year! Are you in love? If so, look for it to deepen. If not, expect to find it, look for it, anticipate it! Don't be surprised if your emotions lead you somewhere unexpected!
I picked this one:
"XII
Surrender"
Something about a man hanging upside down in water. It didn't seem promising =x
Hi Hecate, I'm starting to visit your site every day. Especially since you finally got around to posting my last comment. ;)
I picked the 2 of Air
QL in NY
Hecate, I am married to someone i love. Maybe we will take it to another level? :-) - karmic_jay
X The Wheel of the Year
Thanks, Hecate, that makes sense, especially the part about judging myself too harshly; I've been told that I tend to do that. It's funny, but both my son and I seem to have an over-developed sense of fairness; I write mine off to being an Aquarius, and his to my undue influence. Rather odd that I would choose this card.
I did mine on Eschaton but I will repost here what Hecate said.
"Home 10 of Earth
Halfdan,
That's a great card. Corresponds to the Ten of Pentacles in the standard Rider Waite deck. Family, home, prosperity, ancestral wisdom. 2006 could be a wonderful year for you!"
Nim,
That's a great card. It's the card people often pick when they're about to begin a spiritual journey or, to say it slightly differently, a journey of the spirit. It's associated with the Norse God who hung upside down for days on the Axis Mundi, the World Tree that connects the earth to heaven, in order to gain wisdom. It represents the wisdom that comes when we look at things in a different way, when we deliberately "shake things up" and "go out on a limb." 2006 could be a year when many things in your life get "turned upside down," but also when you learn more than you'd ever imagined possible. Keep a journal!
"2006 could be a year when many things in your life get "turned upside down," but also when you learn more than you'd ever imagined possible."
That my life is going to get turned upside down in 2006 sort of goes without saying, since I've already planned to do just that within a few weeks heh.
Seriously though, not trying to be snide...are there any cards that -aren't- great? They all seem to be positive portents in one way or another.
ThinlyVeiled,
No, actually, it's not odd at all. Your subconscious knows much more than you think!
QL,
It took me a while to figure out I had to "enable" comments. Sorry! I'm hoping it's fixed now.
Two or Air corresponds to the Two of Swords in the standard Rider Waite deck. If you google that image, you'll see a woman sitting blindfolded with two swords crossed in front of her. She has the tools she needs, but she can't see yet how to use them. Wisely, she holds them at the ready and gives herself time before taking any action. Swords/Air are associated with the East, thought, communication, new ideas. 2006 could be a year when you have lots of new ideas; give yourself time to see how best to use them.
Nim,
There are some pretty unpleasant cards. I'm never thrilled when I see the King of Air, the Two of Air, or the Ten of Air. Eight of Cups is another card that can mean difficult times ahead.
Little Brother,
A major arcana card. Your subconscious is trying to tell you something important. This card always reminds me of the wheel that they spin on Jeopardy; and it suggests that there's a strong element of chance or luck involved in your situation. This card also reminds us that good things tend to fade and bad things tend to pass. Whatever the current situation is, the one thing we know for sure is that it will change. Spend some time thinking about how you can thrive during changing times. What can you control and what should you admit is outside of your control? And in the coming year, don't be afraid to test your luck a bit; you could be surprised!
Hecate, oh, it's going to be emotional. No doubt about it.
I'd been fighting the move all along, since I didn't want to go there in the first place. Irony abounds for many reasons.
Hecate, congrats on starting your own blog, which will become yet another must read on my 'net wanderings.
I was trained in using the W-R deck, more than 35 years ago, so those associations tend to overwhelm any other interpretations coming from the more modern decks.
So, I am interested in reading what your interpretation of the card I pulled. I'm a Cancer/Cap/Cap, and usually pull pentacle or cup cards.
So I was intrigued to pull "The Queen of Air", Clarity.
Your thoughts?
Dear NMRed,
A Cancer/Cap/Cap? Wow! I'm willing to bet you give new meaning to the word "stubborn," although in a completely good way!
This deck is a lot like the R/W and the Queen of Air corresponds, as you'd guess, to the Queen of Swords. She sees through everything and doesn't pull her punches verbally or otherwise. What she sees as just giving good advice (and it is good advice), the recipient may view as being verbally sliced and diced. But once having licked her wounds, the recipient often realizes, the Queen was right.
If she has a fault, it's that this swordswoman tends to rush her fences a bit, although that only causes problems when she's facing another highly skillful fencer.
I read the court cards as actual people. Is the Queen of Air an aspect of yourself that you need to bring to the surface in order to thrive? Or is she someone else that you need to engage in order to thrive? If so, your Cancer shell can protect you from the worst of her barbs and allow you to receive her wisdom without suffering too deeply for it. Just hold onto the Capricorn, especially in your moon, so it doesn't but her away too quickly!
Hi, Hecate,
I'm delurking all over the place. I pulled XXI Completion, which puzzles me, since I seem to be in a phase right now where a lot of things are just beginning, and nothing much is ending (except my contract with the college). Anyway, I wouldn't mind hearing your two thaler on the subject.
Beautiful poem! I'll have to keep it in mind when I the world around me gets chaotic.
Oh, and I picked the Ace of Earth. Meaning what?
Dear Interrobang,
Glad you're de-lurking.
Maybe this card is telling you that, in order to thrive in the coming year, there are some things you need to complete. If you drew a mandala, what would go in it? What would go at the very center? (Why not draw one and find out?) What project, artistic or otherwise, should you now destroy in order to feel that you've completed it? If you were to have a dream tonight of yourself thriving in every way, what would complete that dream for you?
Stevens,
This card corresponds to the Ace of Pentacles in the traditional Rider-Waite deck. It's about the beginning of material success, physical health, your literal home, and earthly wisdom. Your subconscious is trying to tell you that in order to thrive, especially in the sense of material success or physical health, you must begin a new task or set out on a new path. It may also be time to focus more on these sorts of concerns for a while and less on intellectual or spiritual pursuits. Next time you go on a walk, pick up some pretty stones. Put them on your desk and spend some time every day just gazing at them. Carry one in your pocket. It's time to ground yourself in as many ways as possible.
On the subject of resolutions more generally, make sure that in all your efforts to become a better person, recycle more, save the world, and lose 5 pounds, you leave room for play. Several years ago, I decided that if I needed to make a change for the positive, I should just make it, and New Year's was a time to resolve something fun, like going dancing more or learning to ride a motorcycle. Try it ;-)
satchel,
Thank you!
You pulled a major arcana card. Strength is going to be an important issue for you in the coming year. This card is often interpreted as gaining strength over one's "animal nature," but, especially in Lunea's lovely deck, it has more to do, I think, with achieving strength by blending and merging all of the aspects of yourself, and by working towards balance.
This card can also be telling you, literally, to be strong. Have you ever thought about weight training? Yoga? Competing in a marathon? Are you recovering from an illness or injury and do you need to work harder at your physical therapy?
Strong people thrive. In what ways are you already quite strong? In what ways can you increase your strength?
Hi, Elizabeth!
This year, let's resolve to go check out that new Hermes store and eat more caviar!!!
Love,
Hecate
Wow.
Fascinating reading, especially in light of a lot of things I've been thinking about lately.
I think my subconscious is fairly screaming at me at this point. :-)
Oh, and Elizabeth's best New Year's Resolution was to learn how to make cocktails and she now makes some of the very best!!!
thanks Hecate, it's often best to have someone look at the cards for oneself, and you brought forth a couple of interesting aspects I won't consider on my own.
hmmmm, this does correspond to what a couple of friends and an Irish psychic have told me in the last four months.
Everybody else having already commended your gorgeous blog and terrific writing skills, I must admit I most love to see the well-deserved deployment of "[crush] [crush] [crush]" from time to time.
That said, I pulled "
Silence
4 of Air". Not being much of a tarotist or mystic of any sort I have no idea what this means. Telling me to shut up and quit using words is not wildly helpful as writing is the only means I have of earning a living and I need to do a great deal more of it, better paid, not less. Or else put in an ap at Mal-Wart.
I imagine you did not realize your End-of-Year Resolution was going to be to do tarot readings for every lurker at Eschaton, but thank you anyway. :)
~blush~
Thank you, Xan. Sometimes, "crush, crush, crush," is the only answer to trolls.
OK, when you pull an Air card, your subconscious is trying to tell you something about ideas, thought, talking, writing, communication. Air is associated with the East, with dawn, with new beginnings.
You're a writer and you spend almost all your time communicating. And you want to communicate more and arrange to be better rewarded for doing so. But your subconscious knows that, sometimes, you've got to re-fill your own pitcher, or you don't have anything to pour out for others.
You don't have to give up writing for a year. :) Far from it! But you do need to find ways to seek out silence in your life, time to listen to either your own thought or, more radically, to your own silence!
Can you take a weekend retreat, even if you do it in your own home? Can you wake up 15 minutes earlier in the morning to have time to sit alone with a cup of coffee and just be? Can you turn of the tv in the evening and do some yoga or pray or work on some kind of visual/tactile art (painting, drawing, sculpture, carving, etc.)?
You may find that you have more things to write about than you ever imagined!
Hecate ~
As I've said before, I love your new blog!
I picked the 10 of Earth, or the "Home" Card. Does this fit in with the reading you gave me a few weeks ago?
Thanks for this, by the way.
I picked the 2 of Fire, Meeting the Ancestor. There's something obvious in my life that this could mean...
Vicki,
Thanks so much! Do you remember the cards I pulled for you? If so, let me know and I'll interpret this new one in light of those others. I should remember, but I've done too many readings since them.
Dear Fluffy,
If you see an obvious meaning, that's probably the correct one. This card corresponds to the Two of Wands in the traditional Rider-Waite deck. That card is about waiting for your ships to come in, about the expectation of success, about rewards from far-away places. But I think you've probably already correctly intuited the meaning of this card for you in the coming year. Can you find ways to spend time, even virtual time, with your ancestors? Do you have some jewelry or item of clothing that you can wear to remind yourself of them? Where do you least expect to be reminded of their wisdom? That's where you need it most.
Hi Hecate
Thanks for doing this for us.
I drew the 6 of air.
There was another word on it but I forget what.
Thank you, Hecate. That's very much what I see in this card for the next year.
Johnjs,
Six of Air - Perspective.
If you changed your perspective, would you see that you're already thriving right now? The Air (or Sword in the traditional Rider Waite) cards are about thought, communication, talking, ideas, new beginnings. Changing the way that you look at things can send you on a journey to somewhere you really want to be. This card corresponds to the Six of Sword card in the Rider Waite deck. Google that image and you'll see the goal at the end of the journey.
Do some things you've never done. Go see some art that you don't think you like; listen to some music you've never understood; talk to people with whom you think you have nothing in common. Come away with a different perspective!
Thanks, Hecate.
Your observation is quite pertinent and apposite. Food for thought.
Happy New Year!
Thank you, Hecate.
There is something I do need to finish, and I've been putting it off for days -- grade redactions. *sigh* I'm in that lovely state of inertia where finding out how much of an idiot I am for messing up some people's grades is less preferable than feeling chewed up about not having done it.
Argh. Thanks for the insight. I appreciate it. Now for some motivation!
By the way, I reiterate my offer from late the other night to all Atriots hereabouts -- I may be willing to set up an EschaCan here at my place or a local venue. I'm centrally located between Detroit and Toronto, for those who are more or less in the area.
Hecate,
I have never been too willing to believe in anything too distant from what I can see in front of me.
That being said, I was interested to see what this was about anyway. I am feeling like shit at the moment for trying to make a situation work that was not. They told me today that it wasn't a good match between me and them. Now I have to find another job pronto. Anyway, I thought as I picked a circle "this can't be good if it's even close to accurate". I picked the 8 of Air. It seemed to fit. I picked again just to see what would happen and I got the High Priestess, at least I think that's what it was. She was naked and had a snake around her neck and a cat by her.
What the hell does this all mean?
Dear Gumchewer,
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but the card you pulled confirms that now is the time to move on and make a fresh start. You need to find someplace that you won't dread going to every day and where your gifts and efforts are appreciated. This card tells you to not be afraid to take on difficult challenges; don't be afraid to go for a job that seems as if it's a bit of stretch for you. You can if you think you can.
The High Priestess is a major arcana symbol -- a very important card. Your subconscious already knows the solution to your problems. You need to find a way to get in touch with that wisdom. The High Priestess is that part of every person who is in touch with what is really important and really mysterious in life.
When pulled along with your other card, I think your subconscious is telling you to spend some time getting in touch with mystery. Face your fears head on and don't be afraid of trying something different.
As scary as it is, leaving a bad job can give you the opportunity to find the perfect job. May it be so for you!
I love that poem. It spoke to me.
I got 10 of Air, but I don't know what that means.
Hi Hecate! It's awfully nice of you to interpret all these cards. I drew the Muse - Queen of Fire. Any thoughts on that one?
pixie
Dear arabella,
When you pull the Ten of Air, it means that something in your life has come to an end, that some battle you've been fighing is now over. It's neither a good card nor a bad card by itself; it simply tells you that, whether youve won or lost, this battle is over and there's nothing else you can do -- it's time to move on. Take some time to honor what's passed and then move on.
Dear pixie,
You're not a fire sign by any chance are you?
The Queen of Fire is a real person in your life, either you or someone you know. She's passionate, firey, and inspirational. She has a very strong will and, when she sets her sights on something, nothing stands in her way.
I think your subconscious knows that, in order to thrive in 2006, you need to either embody more of the qualities of the Queen of Fire or you need to identify the Queen of Fire in your life and ally yourself with her.
Hi Hecate, I was reading one the overnight threads at Atrios's and saw your kind offer.
I choose Magic--Ace of Fire.
Any thoughts?
I'll check back later. Also, I am glad you started a blog. I always enjoy reading your comments at Eschaton. --mer
Dear mer,
Ace of Fire is a great card and 2006 has the potential to be a wonderful year for you. This card tells you that you can accomplish more than you think you can in the coming year, that you have strengths and abilities that you haven't begun to tap.
What would you do if you weren't worried about failing? Apply your will and imagine the result you want. Then go for it!
Thanks for the reply, Hecate. I'm a taurus myself, and I cannot think of a single woman I know who has their sun in a fire sign.
No chance this could refer to my hubby? All of his planets with the exception of one are in fire signs. Think John Travolta in Michael. The thought of embodying more of his qualities is exhausting.
I'll have to ponder this a bit.
pixie
Hecate --
Six of Air (perspective)
comments?
Hecate, thanks.
I "do" graphic design and illustration for money--to eat, pay the rent.
I have done paintings in the past and have actually sold them. That is my dream. I've been in contact with NTodd, he says he is interested in maybe putting my art on his site, but I haven't gotten my shit together yet. Motivation is a good thing. New Year's resolution: get shit together.
Also, I'm curious in how everyone selected their tarot card. I wanted to click on every one of them. Finally, I decided to do it by counting globes across (13) plus globes down (6). So I came up with the 19th in the second row.
Dear Prior,
That card is telling you to trust the journey that you're on; to realize that the journey is the goal. You're headed in the right direction and have guides and protections that you aren't even aware of helping you out. No course changes are in order; you are on the path that you need to be on. When Fr. William gets back, get him to show you the Rider Waite version of this card and you'll see what I mean.
Thank you and thanks to the whole community for the prayers, which seem to be working. C. will be on bed rest for a few weeks, and she's not happy about that, but at least for now we seem to have avoided a too-early delivery. Every extra day that we can get is good news.
Dear Cynicus,
Thank you very much. The key to the Ten of Air card, as Lunae says, is: "Now the dawn has come, daylight over the battlefield... and in the cold first light of day you begin to clearly assess the situation."
Some battle you've been fighting has come to an end. You may have won. You may have lost. The card doesn't say. It simply tells you that it's over and now it's time for you to move on. If you continue to focus on this old war, you won't be able to thrive in the new year.
What do you need to let go of?
i got manifestatin, the ace of earth. i'm thinking that it probably means i should buy a harley davidson road king.
Olaf,
That could very well be what that card is trying to tell you! It's all about the beginning of a focus on material well-being. Of course, I think it's also telling you to wear a helmet!
Hi Hecate
I went back and pulled one more after I got your email and picked the Ace of Fire--Magic.
As you say, I must be on the right road.
Thanks for your help
Oh yes, Mer asked how we picked our cards, Well I close my eyes and think of where I would like to be. Then move the curser with my eyes still closed.
Greetings, Hecate,
I also chose Judgement. As a virgo, this is not encouraging to me!
thanks,
Sarah Deere
Home (10 of Earth).
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