Anonymous asked: I'm on a verge of giving up, when are things going to finally start looking up for me, everyone around me seems to be getting fast results of their share of happiness
Mary K. Greer teaches that this can sometimes be seen as the “having-everything” but “longing-for-more” card. That tells me that you’ve got more going for you in this situation than you realize. There’s a saying that goes “Never compare your insides to other people’s outsides.” I bet those people around you who seem so happy are dealing with some of the same doubts that you’ve got.
Anyhow, don’t begrudge other people their happiness, real or illusory. Eyes on your own work, Querent! You’re not in a competition with anyone else. You’re not even on the same game-board, in the same time-zone. Your path is entirely your own, so let’s start clearing it.
Make a list of your problems, large and small. Then take each problem and break it down into a list of smaller problems or tasks. Some those can be broken down even further, into even smaller bits. Now you have a list of manageable steps that will help you start small. Can’t tackle one whole big problem in one day? Okay fine — but maybe you can do the one tiny thing that will get you that much further along, making it that much easier for you to attempt it tomorrow.
The Two of Wands figure looks out into the distance, Querent, hungers for it — but does not yet dare go out into it. Focus on the ten feet of road right in front of you. It’s amazing how rapidly short distances add up into miles…
You won’t give up. It’s almost always easier to go on than it is to give up.
avidplecostomus-deactivated2013 asked: I have been having a lot of struggles in my life lately. I feel damned no matter what decision I make. Every major choice I must make in my life recently lead to major changes and possible loss. What should I do?
Something about the simplicity of your question moves me. I bet there are some sad stories there…
Three versions of the same woman, unrecognizable to each other. On the left, the grieving Queen who is certainly wiser for her tragic experiences, but who’s grown a bit colder, a bit more defensive. She gazes off stage left, not yet ready to move on.
On the right, we have Justice. One might read her as a sort of triumphant version of the first card — she wields the same sword, but with defiance and confidence. Where the figure on the left is veiled, the figure on the right looks directly outward at us, clear-eyed and unblinking. She is propelled forward by the sheer force of her desire to make things right, to set the record straight.
Remember this as you travel the “Sadder <—-+—-> Wiser” spectrum: this unfortunate period marks the end of a significant cycle in your life. Once you loosen your grip on that sword, a whole bevy of other magical tools will reveal themselves to you, spurring you to venture out in other directions. The woman on top of The World may look like she’s falling, but she’s actually dancing — above “right” and “wrong” decisions, above friends and enemies alike. That is what awaits you, when you’re ready. Whatever happens after that is anyone’s guess…
Wisdom is the product of experience, which usually is shorthand for “suffering.” But there is contentment in wisdom. There will be times later on when your life seems incredibly boring, with no major changes to be made or risks to be taken, but then you’ll remember phases like the one you’re currently going through and feel gratitude and awe all over again.
Damnation isn’t real, Querent, but despair is. Try to think instead that you are blessed no matter what decision you make, no matter what the outcome may be. You are blessed either way. Loss is always possible, that’s why it’s pointless to fear it.
Anonymous asked: I've been feeling "stuck" for the past few years. Now I am trying to decide between two opposite courses, and feel frozen. One path is going back to school, the other moving across the country. Which is the right course?
Not that *I* should have the final say, but my purely card-based advice is that you should genuinely follow your heart in this matter instead of weighing between potential practical outcomes. See the little Princess gazing longingly toward the King, and her native sea? She knows where she wants to go, and who she wants to become. Let her.
Also: can’t you maybe do both, eventually? If you move cross country, you can always decide to pursue an education there. OR you could return — it’s not like your local program is going anywhere. This is a big decision, but try not to think of it in all-or-nothing terms.
You know that thing where you flip a coin to decide, but you know before it hits the ground which side you’re secretly hoping to see? Yeah, that.
Anonymous asked: Lately I've been feeling like I'm stuck in a limbo. I can't see clearly what my situation is. I have plans, but I don't know if I'm aiming too high or if I can actually accomplish them. Could you help me clarify my situation? Thanks a lot for sharing your knowledge and helping others, you're doing a great work.
Oof, you are staggering under quite a burden. Obligations, responsibilities, and other stressors are keeping you pinned in place. The Ten cards all indicate the end of a cycle. Each of them represents its suit at the furthermost edge of its arc — it’s both a climax and a tipping point.
You’ve carried this particular bundle as far as you can, Querent. Don’t worry about aiming too high, you can adjust your expectations later on when your arms are finally free and your mind is clearer. For now it’s all about whatever it takes to get you out from under your load.
Congrats on making it to this new leaping-off point!
Anonymous asked: I'm in a problem. I have a wonderful boyfriend whom I'm in love with. I also have this friend whom I care for and like. We've apparently had a relationship in a previous life. I don't want to lose either of them. I'm open with my friend, but closed off with my boyfriend. I can't tell my bf about the friend. He'll be jealous, even when the friend and I aren't in a relationship. I don't want to destroy the relationship with the bf. What do the cards have instore for me in this problem?
Tough love from me, Querent. I’m agnostic when it comes to past lives, but I’m downright intolerant of people using past-life experiences as a justification for destructive behavior in this life.
You are actively destroying your relationship with your boyfriend. If you stay together, you’ll eventually have to choose between admitting what you’ve been hiding, or making up new lies to continue the deceit. If you two break up, you’ll probably chalk it up to fate. How convenient — that will excuse you from taking any responsibility for your actions.
I find jealousy to be an equally intolerable quality in a partner, so I don’t date jealous people. I also would not want to date someone who hides relationships from me. So I guess at this point I wouldn’t blame either of you for deciding to end the relationship.
The Chariot indicates that the decisions you’re making now have longer-term results than you may be aware of. It also urges you to focus in a single direction and give yourself over to wherever it takes you. Your days of having your cake and eating it too are numbered. Decisive action is needed for you to continue growing and/or loving.
