Clients have often asked about the difference between symbol and metaphor. Yes, they are different. Metaphors alter or change a subject's meaning. They are more fluid in writing, for example, with the comparison continuing between two objects that may seem very dis-similiar but do have a common denominator or meaning.
Metaphors can help us clarify expressions in a visual way as in '...she grew in relation to her former self...'
With symbols an 'object' is used to substitute for the subject or feeling or thought or action. Your personal symbols have meaning within the context of association with a subject. We write with symbols, but they are not metaphors.
A cross is a symbol. Within the Tarot story it symbolizes coming together. The union point of foursomes: The four levels of awareness, the four major themes in all our lives as well as four directions and four sides to a pyramid. And thoughts can grow into symbols - A great personal writing journey of exploration could be, "Where do you see this in your own inner world?"
David Brooks, a favorite New York Times writer of mine, writes about metaphor which set my mind in motion to post this blog originally back in April. Here 'tis updated:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/12/opinion/12brooks.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=tha212
Pull out your lifetime tarot card and write about what it 'symbolizes' in your life!
Have fun with your theme of creativity today.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Worry vs Concern as I'm off to Costa Rica & Guatemala
We often confuse these. Yesterday while talking with a friend about my upcoming trip to Costa Rica and Guatemala she said, "Oh, I'm so worried for you, is it safe?"
Let's take a moment to separate concern and worry. In the tarot story the 5 of Disks is called "Worry". The card has a Darth Vader quality to it. Dark with disks grinding at each other. It symbolizes what the mind can do to us if we fall into worry which can grind us down. How? That mind set just runs repeatedly rummaging around in the mind to burrow into deep recesses of memories.
With worry we are living in the past, or the future. It is impossible to be in the present with worry. However if we take it apart we see that it is the combining of fear and concern. And it's that fear that will run us.
Concern is gentle. Fear is harsh. Concern is an expression of our human heart to heart connection. Fear is an expression of the past or future. Concern conveys care. And we all love to be cared for by another.
Her mindset was on fear. Gently I reminded her that I welcomed her concern and invited her to drop the fear. Who wants that fear energy around them? And as thought directs energy and energy follows thought it is my hope that my family, friends and clients hold possibility, hope, opportunity and love when thinking about my latest foreign excursion.
The next time you find yourself in worry take a mental break. Separate out what fear may be driving your thoughts with what your concern is because the concern is manageable but the fear will manage us!
March 6 - March 30 will find me in Costa Rica and Guatemala. I'm blessed to have friends in both places along with the opportunity to share more of my Beyond Tarot work.
As I did with my trip to Cyprus I will be posting updates and photos on my facebook. Please connect with me there, too.
Viaja bien esperan!
Let's take a moment to separate concern and worry. In the tarot story the 5 of Disks is called "Worry". The card has a Darth Vader quality to it. Dark with disks grinding at each other. It symbolizes what the mind can do to us if we fall into worry which can grind us down. How? That mind set just runs repeatedly rummaging around in the mind to burrow into deep recesses of memories.
With worry we are living in the past, or the future. It is impossible to be in the present with worry. However if we take it apart we see that it is the combining of fear and concern. And it's that fear that will run us.
Concern is gentle. Fear is harsh. Concern is an expression of our human heart to heart connection. Fear is an expression of the past or future. Concern conveys care. And we all love to be cared for by another.
Her mindset was on fear. Gently I reminded her that I welcomed her concern and invited her to drop the fear. Who wants that fear energy around them? And as thought directs energy and energy follows thought it is my hope that my family, friends and clients hold possibility, hope, opportunity and love when thinking about my latest foreign excursion.
The next time you find yourself in worry take a mental break. Separate out what fear may be driving your thoughts with what your concern is because the concern is manageable but the fear will manage us!
March 6 - March 30 will find me in Costa Rica and Guatemala. I'm blessed to have friends in both places along with the opportunity to share more of my Beyond Tarot work.
As I did with my trip to Cyprus I will be posting updates and photos on my facebook. Please connect with me there, too.
Viaja bien esperan!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Don't Defeat Yourself. Notice where fear may be living.
Recently, while working with a client who is creating the vision for her new project, I was coaching her on the type of team she wants to develop. She talked about some of the people who want to be involved with her in this venture. One person is quite bright in a specific area but also quite negative in their communication style. Unsure of how this person's energy could affect the project I asked her to become quiet inside and pull a card that would symbolize this person and their involvement as a member of her team.
She pulled the 5 of Swords which is called 'Defeat' in the Thoth Tarot deck. In an instant her own fear emerged and of course she wondered if it was about her. This was a delicate challenge for her and ultimately she realized, on her own via the inner environment in which we were working, that this person was indeed mirroring a fear of defeat that she was holding on the unconscious. Gratefully she embraced the awareness and was then able to look at what she wanted in the working relationship.
She was able to separate her fear from her judgment about this other person. She was able to see that this person could be a valuable asset on her team but the responsibility lay with her to create the right set of expectations regarding how the team would communicate with each other. She had not thought at all about the dynamics of the team's communication. Now she was aware of the power that the fear of defeat had held within her.
That is was not about defeat but rather about the fear of defeat. It's understanding that it is the fear which can freeze any movement forward.
Now this is a case where true defeat could materialize if the expectations are not clearly communicated and worked with as a communication continuum. Exchanging expectations is not a one time thing. Whenever two or more are gathered together in anyone's name there is the need to continually visit and re-visit expectations. Exchange them, negotiate them, make them the fluid foundation for building co-creative working relationships!
In that way there is no room for defeat or the fear of it. There is only room for the flow of creativity!
She pulled the 5 of Swords which is called 'Defeat' in the Thoth Tarot deck. In an instant her own fear emerged and of course she wondered if it was about her. This was a delicate challenge for her and ultimately she realized, on her own via the inner environment in which we were working, that this person was indeed mirroring a fear of defeat that she was holding on the unconscious. Gratefully she embraced the awareness and was then able to look at what she wanted in the working relationship.
She was able to separate her fear from her judgment about this other person. She was able to see that this person could be a valuable asset on her team but the responsibility lay with her to create the right set of expectations regarding how the team would communicate with each other. She had not thought at all about the dynamics of the team's communication. Now she was aware of the power that the fear of defeat had held within her.
That is was not about defeat but rather about the fear of defeat. It's understanding that it is the fear which can freeze any movement forward.
Now this is a case where true defeat could materialize if the expectations are not clearly communicated and worked with as a communication continuum. Exchanging expectations is not a one time thing. Whenever two or more are gathered together in anyone's name there is the need to continually visit and re-visit expectations. Exchange them, negotiate them, make them the fluid foundation for building co-creative working relationships!
In that way there is no room for defeat or the fear of it. There is only room for the flow of creativity!
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Again...
So the other day google had a problem. Many lost their emails and some of my blog posts are now gone. Well, isn't that just like life? We can plan and prepare yet we really don't always know outcomes.
The card I pulled about this was the "Chariot" which is all about change. Change in which one can learn to ride the waves whether large or small. It is about continually adjusting and re-adjusting to what shows up on our path.
Movement, too. The Chariot symbolizes one of the four main themes in our life - movement. There are times we need to be still, to bring our outer movement to a place of quiet. There are times we much continue to move forward. And, we want to be aware of the times we may be holding ourselves back somehow - stopping our movement for some reason which is usually fear based.
When you pull the Chariot one thing is for sure. It is definitely time to pick up your body and MOVE! Walk, dance, jump rope, do yoga or tai chi. There is intuitive information that wants to come in and you can access it by moving your body!
My next move? Sunday I leave for Costa Rica and Guatemala. Have cards will travel! See you all soon here, or on facebook, or on one of my travels!
The card I pulled about this was the "Chariot" which is all about change. Change in which one can learn to ride the waves whether large or small. It is about continually adjusting and re-adjusting to what shows up on our path.
Movement, too. The Chariot symbolizes one of the four main themes in our life - movement. There are times we need to be still, to bring our outer movement to a place of quiet. There are times we much continue to move forward. And, we want to be aware of the times we may be holding ourselves back somehow - stopping our movement for some reason which is usually fear based.
When you pull the Chariot one thing is for sure. It is definitely time to pick up your body and MOVE! Walk, dance, jump rope, do yoga or tai chi. There is intuitive information that wants to come in and you can access it by moving your body!
My next move? Sunday I leave for Costa Rica and Guatemala. Have cards will travel! See you all soon here, or on facebook, or on one of my travels!
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Our New Year
Since my last post in September the Hermitess (Hermit IX) has been my inner guide. With this Hermitess energy I found myself introspecting more than usual. This kept me inside my own inner cave to afford me the time needed to look at completions and perfections.
The Hermit is gifted in three areas: introspection, completion and perfection. When this energy is moving through you as a growth year - or as an individual focus which it had been for me - we are called to sit as deeply and quietly within ourselves as possible.
This introspection then allows us to see what it is that may be calling for completion. Of course because we do live in a 'completion challenged culture' we all will be asked over and over to look at our completions. Then, to perfect them or to follow through on the completion.
Remember that completion does not mean the end. It means a new beginning or initiation wants to be birthed. We need the completion energy to, in turn, have new beginnings.
What are those needed completions? They differ as much as each of us differ from one another in all aspects of our lives and being. You can began by looking on your four levels of awareness (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) as well as the four primary themes (creativity, relationships, healing and motion).
It is most important that we not let overwhelm overtake us in completion work. Why? Because, truthfully, completion work is never done! You can, however, look at the completions that are calling you right now in this moment and begin to attend to them. The beginning new year is a 'perfect' time to do this.
Start now! Let me know how it goes and do let me know if you need any assistance with uncovering them or working with them.
Happy New Year!
The Hermit is gifted in three areas: introspection, completion and perfection. When this energy is moving through you as a growth year - or as an individual focus which it had been for me - we are called to sit as deeply and quietly within ourselves as possible.
This introspection then allows us to see what it is that may be calling for completion. Of course because we do live in a 'completion challenged culture' we all will be asked over and over to look at our completions. Then, to perfect them or to follow through on the completion.
Remember that completion does not mean the end. It means a new beginning or initiation wants to be birthed. We need the completion energy to, in turn, have new beginnings.
What are those needed completions? They differ as much as each of us differ from one another in all aspects of our lives and being. You can began by looking on your four levels of awareness (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual) as well as the four primary themes (creativity, relationships, healing and motion).
It is most important that we not let overwhelm overtake us in completion work. Why? Because, truthfully, completion work is never done! You can, however, look at the completions that are calling you right now in this moment and begin to attend to them. The beginning new year is a 'perfect' time to do this.
Start now! Let me know how it goes and do let me know if you need any assistance with uncovering them or working with them.
Happy New Year!
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