Peace … Creativity and the Choker
May 1, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com That seems to be the theme of the day, Peace :)
Things are going well at work and, although there is a bit of a “Tower” thing in my personal life (my computer recently died of old age, and this is at least part of what the vultures and 411 spoke of), things are still going pretty well otherwise. This all reminds me of my “Peace Eagle” blog…so many messages all tying together. The “Tower” energy destroys the old, and then the “the peace eagle” (vulture) represents clearing it all away for a fresh new beginning.
Relative to the peace theme, I recently wrote the following in a comment on my blog, “Talking Trees.”
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So now I find myself at a point of peace, beginning to have many blessings bestowed upon me. But this isn’t what my heart knows, so oddly enough, I am SUBCONSCIOUSLY uncomfortable with this — the UNFAMILIAR. So I reach back, subconsiously, to what I know — a racing, fearful heart, an adrenaline rush.
I create some “excuse” every morning for having to race to work — it embarasses me. Co-workers seeing me do this, every morning. It makes me angry with myself, every morning. I endeavor to change it, every morning. And yet, somehow, “it’s always something” that creates it yet again.
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Um, I’m still doing that unfortunately, but I’m not giving up on finding the “cure.” :) The thing is, I know the cure, the problem is breaking through the blocks, the subconscious fear, I have about that unfamiliar thing.
I caught myself, (er, actually the Tarot caught me, heh) this morning reaching back to those old patterns — a big bunch of negative thinking. Letting it override my awareness of the perils in doing such a thing. So I asked the Tarot about the issue my mind was trying to stir up. Sometimes the Tarot will totally ignore the question and simply show us what’s really important. The card I first drew was the 4 of Swords — my mind said, “Peace.” It’s a card about resting, withdawing after troubles to find healing and peace. I drew a “clarity” card, the Hermit card. It’s about withdrawing, getting quiet… I drew yet another card, Two of Swords. With that one, very much a “peace” card — especially beside those others, it was apparent that the Universe was advising me to clear out all that negative thinking, and find peace. So grateful for my Tarot…
If that wasn’t a strong enough message, while getting ready for work and putting my make-up on, a memory of an item I loved as a kid popped into my mind. A choker that I wore in junior high (the 70’s). It was a simple suede band, gorgeous deep burgundy color, a cool teardrop-shaped gold peace sign dangled from the center. I loved it, and as I was wondering why the memory of it came to mind — something I hadn’t thought about in lotsa years, I realized it was yet another message of “Peace.” :) The Universe really has a lovely way of driving a point home, lol ;)
Then I started thinking about how it was a “choker.” Hmmm. Seems kinda contradictory to peace. Something that chokes — and it “chokes” my throat, 5th chakra — expression. This seems to be an area in which I’ve long had a problem. Holding back, choking it back, “swallowing” it all… No outlet for so many years for a lot of creativity. Having done pretty much nothing in the area of creativity for most of my life, I now wanna do it all … writing, painting, sculpting, web design, photography, filmmaking …
Years ago, the only time I’ve ever tried this thing called “scrying” — a type of divination — I saw some wild, but very interesting, visions. Ya’ look into a mirror until ya’ “see” something. Among the things I saw was an arm that reached out to choke me. It brought tears when I realized it was my arm. Oh shit, I’m here at work, in public, and the memory of that is bringing tears. Okay-okay, doing the eye-fanning thing now, lol ;)
But I’ve made a lot of progress since then, lotsa learning, lotsa growing, and finally starting to express all that held-back stuff, and doing that all-important creating — in those fleeting moments when I can wrestle my resistance to the ground, heh It’s really just beginning though — I still feel like there’s a volcano of creativity inside me, so much to express, release, create :) I know that creating thing is so very important for our health and PEACE of mind. We are meant to create — we are “creators.” (Little “gods” if you will.) It is essential for our healing, and consequently for the healing of the world, crucial so as to find true peace, “Heaven on Earth” :)
Peace,
Dove
Angry Fox in a Dream … 555 and Three Aces
April 3, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com Ugh, I don’t feel so good. I think I’m going through a healing crisis or something, healing is such a wild ride… I did get some decent sleep last night, almost 7 hours, which is very unusual for me. I almost never remember my dreams, and I think that’s the main reason why (not sleeping long enough). I was thinking about that this morning, how so many of us don’t get a healthy amount of sleep. And sleep is so very important. Not only for our health, but it’s like meditation — that is, even though we might not consciously remember or note what comes to us, it still comes to us and it helps us in this life, it heals us – that energy that comes during those “down times.” And so, since we create it all (including all the I-don’t-have-time situations), we are avoiding this healing energy that comes from healthy sleep and meditation. Why, why do we avoid it? Because healing brings change, and we invariably resist change, especially the mega-changes that these healthy rituals bring. We fear change…
I guess I broke through my own resistance a bit last night by getting a dab more sleep. Just enough to remember a very vivid dream. Someone asked me a while back if I dreamed in color and I’ve never noticed that I have — until last night. Again, it was very vivid, but I only remember the color of the animals. And their fur resembled the color of my hair, (naturally) red or rusty orange :) I was in what was apparently my home, but it was open, no walls in front. I was looking outside through these open or missing walls. There were camels lying around, one very close to the house. I thought, ah, I’ve gotta get a pic of this for my blog, lol ;) So I went to get my camera and found a fine-looking fox in my bed, just sittin’ there like he belonged there :) I wanted him out of my bed, so I picked up a skinny leather belt and swatted him with it. It pained me to hit him, but I was afraid he would hurt me… He left my bed, went outside through the open walls, but then turned around and started walking back. He came close to me, and I raised the skinny belt to defend myself (lol) — again, I wasn’t sure to what extent it might harm me. He was glaring at me, and I was staring right back and was prepared to strike him again. I did feel afraid. He held his stare on me and I heard a very faint, close-mouthed growl. That’s when I woke up :)
I have a few ideas as to what this dream is about, but I haven’t given it enough thought yet. It is interesting though that I was reading about the fox totem just yesterday on another’s blog – even made a comment, sharing how the fox represents the Magician (in the Tarot) for me. So it’s especially interesting that I then dreamed about a fox last night. Here’s one interpretation for the camel…
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Replenishment, Survival
People with Camel totems have the ability to remain positive
in the harshest of times and experiences.
Their philosophy is always “the glass is half full.”
Camel people often have unusual sleep habits, rarely sleeping through the night.
They often power nap instead.
The appearance of a Camel totem can signify hard times ahead,
but everything will turn out good in the end.
Remain positive and all will work out. Camel people can accomplish the impossible.
Source: http://www.linsdomain.com/totems/pages/camel.htm
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Geez, so much of this seems to be pointing to difficult times, and today’s one of them (but so far, so good) – hopefully, this is fleeting energy, but as I indicated, this transformation stuff is generally a rocky ride. And it depends on how good we are at “going with the flow” and all… I feel that all of these messages are at least primarily about my health, which is definitely improving, but also clearing away of stubborn ole patterns (and I think the two go hand-in-hand).
I’ve been seeing “555″ quite a bit lately, and this morning I happened to look at a watch I keep in the bathroom (it shows the seconds too) at just the right SECOND — “5:55:55,” which was a potent 5 message. In a post I did recently(“Angelic Numerology”), it indicates this about the 5…
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“When you notice 5’s, this means significant transformation is going on within you, to bring you more into alignment, with the real you. You are being transformed into a beautiful butterfly.”
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And 5’s are aligned with the rest of these messages, not usually fun in my experience — such is the nature of “transformation.” Ya’ just have to stick it out to get to the good stuff :)
So this morning, I did my usual adrenaline-addict rush to work, angry about how I repeat this pattern every morning. But usually I shake that off and have a good day, but today, again, I just didn’t feel so good (starting to feel better now). I cut my cards when I got here, and got the most icky card in the deck. Cut again, and yet another icky one. Not a surprise — the cards draw right from our hearts/minds (our energy). I felt like crap, so it shows me crap. And when I see (am reminded of) my energy like that via the Tarot, I immediately try to change it. Not always easy, especially when you’re not feeling well physically.
I then did a spread online and it showed me as Pitiful Pearl (lol), the 5 of coins, but the Magician card was in the “Situation” position. Hmmm, am I resisting becoming the Magician that I am (that we all are)? Do I need to take some type of action for my healing…? Or am I feeling the energy of another Magician? (A problematic connection I have with another that strongly represents unhealthy relationship patterns that I desperately wish to heal. Actually I feel I have recently made significant progress in this area as well.) Hmmm, I think perhaps it’s all interrelated.
The “Near Future” position showed the World card, which can be a healing card, generally a very positive card. The “Outcome” is the Six of Swords, another healing card, but can also represent grieving or sadness — part of the healing process.
I then endeavored to change my energy and was even saying a positive affirmation, “I am love, I am love…,” that I often use to shift my energy. I drew another spread (online). It showed me as the Ace of Cups, a potent love card :) But what fascinated me, and I don’t remember ever doing this before, the first three cards, the core of the spread was all Aces, three Aces. Interesting. Shows some powerful potential (the Aces are like potent seeds). The Near Future and Outcome cards on this one look very good — I just need to hang in there :)
But the three Aces excite me, getting Aces like that invariably means something new and very cool is on the horizon :) And that was an awesome dream, even if the Fox did scare me. Did I mention that the Fox is one of my totems? Among other things, this dream may be saying that I’m still a bit frightened of my own “magic,” but my magic (represented by the Fox) knows it belongs in “my bed” ;)
Hmmm, just noticed the time is 4:11 (I started this post this morning, and finishing it up this afternoon) — that, 411, was the number sequence that came up so much on my “Magic Monday.”
My energy seems to have really improved since this morning, because I just drew a beautiful 3-card spread (yep, online again, heh), way good stuff on that one too. It’s so cool to truly know that my world is all about MY energy. I have the pow-uh ;)
Exciting times…
Peace,
Dove
Working Your Ass Off Won’t Get You “There” …
March 30, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I was just reading an old post I did on a book that I feel everyone should read — that is, those who are so very tired of being on a hamster wheel that never gets them to where they wish to be, wondering where’s the happiness, the freedom… It’s called “The Paradigm Conspiracy.” My previous post includes an overview of the book (note, the bolded areas were my doing).
As I was reading over this overview, thoughts came up about a blog I was frequenting on here a while back — trying to tweak the minds of a group of rabid skeptics. I was sharing a few of my experiences with them, particularly with the Tarot. Of course, it mattered not that they had zero experience in this regard (and I’ve now spent about a decade almost incessantly using the Tarot), they still scoffed at the prospect that what I spoke was the truth. Since they’d already warmed up to me a bit, they first tried to be charitable and suggested that I was imagining all of this (heh), but it was clear that if that wasn’t it, dishonesty had to be.
I tried to not let it annoy me — I s’pose I asked for it by sharing such things with people who believe nothing that their science tells them they shouldn’t believe. I remember posting my Edison post (where people mocked Edison — scientists, and other lofty ones) on that thread, and there was a brief pause … then one of them came back with something like, “Yeah, but those Edison things could be proved by science.” At that point, I moved on, because it was clear their minds weren’t budging — but I was like, huh? Then, why were highly regarded scientists among those who scoffed at and mocked Edison? …
My next thoughts were about a guy in my past. My cards have actually referenced him as a “fool” (several times) in the negative sense (but there is also a positive take on the fool in the Tarot). The way he thinks boggles my mind, but I don’t think he’s that much different than many — thinking that “success” is all about how much money you can make. And so this guy is consumed by his work. He sees no other way to become his version of a success. I remember a few years ago when he started working this job, I told him that it was a prison, that it wasn’t worthy of losing his health over. I heard from him recently — he said he’d been in the hospital a couple of times recently per lack of sleep… What he doesn’t seem to get is that the present dictates the future. If it isn’t balanced, the future won’t be. If you’re not happy in the present, you won’t be in the future either. The thing is, you can do something in the present that might not be all that you wish for, BUT you must BALANCE it with what you do want. That is, some energy MUST be put towards what you do want. If you are currently neglecting and abusing your body for some pay-off in the future, there’s no balance in that — so stay tuned for a messed up body in the future. But hey, you’ll have lotsa money to go to the hospital and docs a lot…
It’s insanity. Our bodies, our health, are PRICELESS. Ya’ can’t go out and buy a new body — NO MATTER HOW MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE. Ask someone who has no sight, but lotsa money what they’d pay for the gift of sight. Someone with no legs what they’d pay to have them back? … And yet so many of us sacrifice our lives, our health, so as to make money — to buy STUFF. Geez.
Actually it isn’t insanity, or even stupidity (usually), it’s what the above-mentioned book speaks of. A kind of brainwashing via “paradigms.” And I would add that we keep doing this over and over, because the promise of what it supposedly brings (happiness, or even real security, per money/power), never actually happens — but we think (per the paradigms) that it will if we just work a little more, a little harder… And then maybe ya’ get “there,” but all you discover is that you’ve been a fool…you’ve been duped into sacrificing your precious body, life, health, TRUE HAPPINESS…for a pile of green paper, a false sense of security/safety, a mountain of material stuff that’s momentarily gratifying but ultimately suffocating, and an illusion of power… All you truly have in those things is NOTHING, but you’ve lost so much in this FINITE life…
It’s time to “wake up.” And this book is a good place to start :) Read the overview of the “The Paradigm Conspiracy” here. And then also realize that you ARE the power, it’s all about what you believe… And it will be those who are endeavoring to overcome the brainwashing that will truly be powerful in the future, not those who continue to put their total focus and efforts in the outer world, all the while destroying their bodies, and consequently dishonoring the real power — within them.
Peace,
Dove
Anger is Like Fire…
March 24, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I just synchronously came upon this wonderful article on anger. I had, only moments before, written similar statements (see my comment under the article).
I love the article, very empowering information, but I would never reference my anger as, um, “little” anymore than I’d reference fire as our “little friend.” Both anger and fire are mighty powerful, they can destroy us or save us… We so very much need to learn to honor, respect, tend to our precious human-ness called “anger.” Here’s an excerpt from the article.
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“Anger is the most misunderstood and repressed emotions. When you can understand the nature of anger, and are willing to feel it, you can begin to harness a lost power that is key to creating permanent and positive changes in your life. The power of your will, or commonly known as willpower.”
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Peace,
Dove
Update: I had the following in a comment but I like it better here as an “update.” :)
Okay, I’d love to delete the part above where I said I’d “never” reference my anger as “little,” because it seems I have, lol ;) I haven’t read my own articles/blogs in a while, heh :) I was actually taught by a therapist to call them my “little ones” (my emotions) in the process of learning how very real they are. But I dunno, when it comes to my anger in particular, how explosive I have experienced it, it definitely seems inappropriate to call it “little.”
I have to admit I don’t like referencing them in that way, and again, was doing so in previous writings drawing from what I had been taught to call them. But to me, “little” implies insignificant, and I have learned they are very significant. I now prefer calling them something like “my precious ones” :) Very precious — and very powerful. I have seen clearly what can manifest from both the positive and negative expressions of my anger.
Regardless of how we reference it, we should without hesitation embrace our anger, respect it, honor it, endeavor to understand and console it. Because it is a part of us, a very powerful part of us. We can’t just love bits and pieces of ourselves, we must unconditionally love it all, love all that we are. Not to do so, is a sure road to self-destruction.
Peace,
Dove
By Dove, www.TarowithLove.com Quite the synchronicity with this one…
Yesterday I read my friend Tawny’s post on her experience with being hit by lightning (!) … it ties in amazingly to all this Tower stuff (and my getting that number 16 so much ) lately.
Then this morning, I casually did a Google search with the phrase “too much adrenaline.” I clicked on a link and freakily enough, I began reading about a “therapy” for CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) called the “Lightning Process” :) But I don’t get it, all it seems to encompass, for the most part, is stopping our negative thinking.
It ties in with the mind-body connection (and the “Secret” — it’s all our energy, that’s where the power is. That is the real “secret.”). But it seems to be a very determined, repetitive effort — and I like the cards part :) Excellent. I just don’t see why we can’t do this for ourselves at home, rather than zipping off to Wales :) But I think it’s awesome that many are being healed with this “Lightning Process.” Ah, it’s exciting, just a matter of time before so many more of us get it — that we have the pow-uh! :)
Here’s an excerpt (and the gist of it) from the article (see link below to read the rest of the article) on the “Lightning Process.”
Peace,
Dove
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The first step is to recognise the thoughts that trigger the stress reaction, such as: ‘I’m worried that I’m not going to be well enough to go out shopping,’ or ‘I’m never going to get my school work finished.’
To stop the triggering thought, the ME sufferer must firmly say: ‘Stop,’ to themselves half way through the thought. This physically ‘cuts off’ the stress response to stop it from progressing.
The next step is to create new, more positive thought patterns to replace the negative ones. For example, instead of worrying about not being able to do something because you will feel ill, you are taught to imagine feeling well and being able to do that activity.
The theory is that this creates new connections in the brain, which then stimulate the production of endorphins - feel-good brain chemicals - rather than stress hormones such as adrenaline.
The patient has to continue using the process repeatedly until their ME symptoms have abated. To help the process, special cards with key words - such as ‘the present moment’, and ’stop’ - are placed in a pattern on the floor. The idea is that stepping on the cards reinforces the thought process.
You start with the ‘present moment’ card (which represents the need to stay in the here and now, and not dwell on fears about the future), then move on to the ’stop’ card to cut off the triggering thoughts. As you perfect the technique, you no longer need to step on the cards but can visualise them until it becomes second nature.
‘It sounded a bit weird at first,’ says Leonie, ‘but after practising over the weekend, it really worked.’
Within two days of her treatment, she was walking unaided along the beach with her mother. ‘I telephoned my father and said: “Guess what I’m doing?” He was so gobsmacked he couldn’t speak for five minutes,’ she says. She then folded up her wheelchair and told her mother: ‘I will never use this again.’ One year on, Leonie is still feeling great.
Three months after his sister’s recovery, Adam also made the trip to Wales. He is now back at college and learning to drive.
But the Lightning Process does not work for everyone. As well as the success stories, ME chatrooms feature the ‘failures’ for whom the approach has not been effective.
Mary-Jane Willows, chief executive of the UK Association of Young People with ME, believes it’s important to exercise caution before embarking on unproven treatments.
‘While we have heard of members who have been helped by undertaking the Lightning Process and are thrilled for them, we are aware of others for whom the outcome was less than positive. We cannot recommend this therapy or others for children where there is no clinical data or research available.’
Dr Neil Abbot, director of operations at ME Research UK, is sceptical about adrenaline playing a role in the condition. ‘We should like to see some evidence that there is an adrenaline rise in ME sufferers, and if there is, whether lowering adrenaline induces a “lightning” cure,’ he says.
‘The only thing that will create general acceptance of the principles and treatment techniques applied by the Lightning Process will be large-scale tests.’
But while the jury is still out in the medical world, among those for whom it has worked there is absolutely no doubt.
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Hmmm, it makes me wonder … if any or all of these guys below knew just how literally true these declarations were/are.
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“We become what we think about all day long”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
“We tend to get what we expect”
Norman Vincent Peale
“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right”
Henry Ford
“This world is but canvas to our imaginations”
Henry David Thoreau
Honor Your Inner Fire Called “Anger”
February 29, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I’m very much appreciating a new blog I’ve recently come upon about indigos and our spiritual path and all — very informative and helpful. A recent post on there speaks of not allowing others to offend us, and I agree with much of what it’s saying. Even so, I feel some tend to take such advice and simply push down their anger in an effort to follow it. That’s a very harmful practice. We should never push down or deny our anger in an effort to be “saintly” or to “not be offended.”
No matter what anyone says, anger is NOT an “evil” thing. It is a human thing, and if it weren’t of benefit to us (at times) then it would not be such a significant part of this human experience. And given that it is a part of us, we should not dishonor it, dishonor ourselves, by denying HOW WE TRULY FEEL. That doesn’t mean we should attack others with it, or even necessarily let them know that they have angered us. Our lives are, we are, ever-changing – and consequently, no strict rules should be applied. Our freedom and peace and a joyful life depend upon our trusting our own hearts in EACH MOMENT as to what is right for us.
Obviously there are situations where it isn’t advisable to show our anger, but we should still acknowledge it to ourselves, and express it later in a healthy way. One of my first posts on here was about this, how a Buddhist friend was enduring colon cancer…and I feel certain this is a result of denying one’s anger for a lot of years, “not being offended” one time too many.
I think the primary thing to remember though is that if there are others around us who are saying abusive things to us, then we should realize there is something about our own energy that is creating this. And unless that changes within us, this person (and others) will continue to abuse us in this way. And if we are living with (or married to) such a person, then that’s an indicator that this energy is potent within us — that is, we are not loving ourselves so much. And healing this energy WITHIN US is of the highest priority to stop the abuse…
We can consciously “love” ourselves, and at the same time still have unhealed energy in our subconscious that continues to draw this abusive energy to us. But until we heal it, allowing the abuse (verbal or whatever) to continue — and pushing down our anger — is not a good thing. Ignoring such things will not make them go away, and more often than not, doing so simply allows the problem to grow worse.
Additionally, we are human beings, so no matter how “enlightened” we become, our energy will fluctuate (change is our nature) with higher points of self-love and lower ones. At the those “lower” times, we will draw a bit of that abusive, “lower” energy (like attracts like).
If we realize this, then when others are less than loving toward us in those moments, we can be aware of it being a passing thing (because it is simply a reflection of a ”momentary” thing within us — not something deep within that needs seriously healing), then it is much easier to “not be offended” and just let it go. Even so, even with these little “barbs,” (not on-going abuse) it is still not wise to dishonor our anger. Anger, like all emotion, will build within if not acknowledged and processed routinely. Go ahead and allow yourself to be “offended” (angry), but “smile” at the unhealed one…then later go work it out in the gym or write about it at home or do some other anger-releasing ritual (dancing is good too). Think about that moment of anger, then do the dance of your choice :) Process it to whatever degree you intuit is needed. Then you’ll be able to truly let it go, and hug the person the next day :)
Peace,
Dove
Update: I want to put an excerpt here from the blog I mentioned above (one of my first posts on WordPress), from the emclear article…
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It’s still 1988. I’m searching. I come into contact with a teacher who seems to be presenting Eastern philosophy in a new way. I already know much about Eastern philosophy, so much that I hadn’t read any for years, but all of what I had read was the old school, if I may use that term. The old school never really recognized negative feelings - just be spiritual, it said. If you felt angry, be loving. In other words, suppress your anger. This new teacher had things to say that I had never heard. Maybe I was just never ready to hear before now, but the revolution was beginning within me.
I started having tremendous insights. I realized that a large part of how I saw the world and how I experienced my interactions with others was based on projection. In projection, I would think that someone or something else was responsible for my reaction to them. In other words, I believed that someone or something else was making me angry, lonely, afraid, hateful and so on. What I realized was that these feelings were actually coming from my suppressed emotional subconscious and just attaching to people and circumstances outside myself. Taking it a step further, I could see how I attracted difficult people and circumstances to myself that corresponded to the feelings. Why would I do this, I asked? The answer came that it was in order to bring up the suppressed feelings for clearing.
Source: www.emclear.com
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Maple Leaves, Sevens…and Feng Shui
January 20, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I was doing some organizing the day before yesterday and opened an old book, and to my surprise I found a maple leaf, and then another and another. Three maple leaves. I only vaguely recall putting them in there several years ago, while living in a wonderful rural area that I may have mentioned on here before. So, of course, coming upon such a thing has meaning :)
But I didn’t ponder that so much in that moment, was just wondering where to put them. Back in the book, maybe in a special box or something? I’ve been trying to hone up the Feng Shui in my apartment and I didn’t want any dead leaves to mess up the Prosperity or Relationship areas :) so I decided the Angel or “Helpful People” area would be safe. And there was a nice sunny spot on a little table there in which to place them. They looked kinda cute there :) So off I went about my business.
I glanced over at them again this morning and decided to find out the dream symbol meaning of the maple leaf in this here “dream” that is this life :) And here’s what I found…
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To see a maple leaf in your dream, represents each of the five senses and what it has to offer. It also denotes a helping or protective hand.
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My favorite Feng Shui book is called “Move Your Stuff, Change Your Life,” written by a sharp, funny, and no-nonsense girl named Karen Rauch Carter. I’ve had her book for years. She calls it the “Helpful People and Travel” area. I often reference it as the “Angel Corner.” When you walk in the front door, it’s the corner of the whole house to your right. And what’s one tool she considers a “power tool” in this area? A picture of, or some other form of a hand, representing a helpful hand. My maple leaves, helpful hands :)
How cool is that. I’ve noticed before how I have just intuitively placed things in the appropriate area without knowing or conisidering that the energy of it is good in that particular area. I also found another site that said the maple leaf was a symbol of love. Hmm, that’s also wonderful and very synchronous. I’ve been getting the Tarot’s sweet Two of Cups a lot lately as well, a message of love and/or very harmonious interactions. So these are all very sweet messages for the “new beginnings” I’m currently moving toward…
So what a sweet thing that the Universe has given me with these lovely little pressed maple leaves for my Angel Corner :)
There seems to be a bit of heightened “magic” this morning. The Crow has visited me a couple of times this week, also this morning. He cawed 7 times, twice. I was lying in bed and I was thinking what an odd number of caws that was for my Crow baby ;) But it was very synchronous. Two of my French friends on here both mentioned the Chariot card (Tarot) to me in the last couple of days. The Chariot is one of the major arcana cards, number 7.
It’s a good card, and I think it speaks of victory, but I really need to use some of its “hard control” on myself to reach my goals. So off I go, to apply some of of that there “hard,” but balanced, self-discipline :)
Peace,
Dove
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Adrenaline Addiction :: Stress, Anger…and “Jack”
January 7, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I just came upon this great post, with excellent advice that a lot of people need, and need to be reminded of. It wasn’t that long ago that I realized I was addicted to adrenaline. I think it’s spurred when we are ignoring our emotions, not taking time to honor them.
The name “Jack” often comes to me when I’m needing to sit and chat with my anger :) That is, I’ll begin to see that name everywhere. Last night I saw it in a comment by my blog friend CV, but sometimes I let the first one go by. But then just now I saw “Jack” again, twice, in the above-mentioned post. An urgent call from Jack, and note how the article is right on point with it. She mentions “Jack in the box” and there’s a person commenting with the ID name “Jack.” Geez, why do I wince when I see it….because I know I’m going to have to endure discomfort in recognizing and processing my anger.
To add to this synchronicity, I drew a Tarot spread earlier today that showed me in a “Tower” mode. That’s a Tarot card that, for me, often represents a crucial build-up of energy. Anger. I’ve also discovered that it’s often about being angry with myself. And more often than not, I don’t even feel consciously angry. That’s how efficient I’ve been in pushing it down and ignoring it over the years. But this Tower will “explode” if I don’t heed “Jack’s” call soon. That explosion for me is invariably an anxiety attack that can last from two to four hours, sometimes longer. I have had these “anxiety attacks” every few days for the bulk of my adult life, and it seems they’re almost impossible to avoid after I’ve been out in the public, around a lot of people. I tend to take on the energy of others without realizing it…
Like most people (and even when we know better), I don’t like dealing with my so-called “negative” emotions. They’re not fun, it doesn’t feel good, and I feel we’ve been brainwashed into having an aversion to them (”don’t cry,” “calm down!,” “there’s no reason to be angry,” “you need to straighten up” …) And no doubt, we all like to keep going in that ”happy” mode, even when it’s a mask for not-so-happy, from denying that which we are, from dishonoring our powerful and precious emotions.
I wanted to add, before I go chat with Jack :) (and do some physical exercise, ’cause “he” likes that) that I tend to draw people who also have this adrenaline addiction thing (like attracts like). The guys that I’ve had ongoing relationships with are invariably work-aholics. They are subconsciously drawn to doing work that puts a lot of stress on their bodies and minds… and jobs that keep them from really living life, from feeling the pain of life… They prefer a life that is “dead” of emotion (including the sweet kind), and consequently their lives are a living “death.” Emotions are what make us feel ALIVE.
My last guy was frickin’ insane with a need to keep busy, he couldn’t sit still for five minutes. Seriously. I’d never met anyone like him before, he was the poster child for Adrenaline Addiction, lol ;) He actually took pride in his mad busy-ness, thinking himself above others because of it, thinking his driving himself this way was admirable so as to be what he deemed a “success.”
But the human body (and mind) can take only so much. I had lived with a guy much older than him, also a work-aholic, also worked a job that put excessive stress on his body and mind…and he eventually “hit a wall” and had to get therapy because of it. And I watched as he began to have his melt down… All that “stuff” we’re running from continues to build as we ignore it. Year after year, it builds. Some type of “explosion” is unavoidable after a certain point. And that can range from harming another to harming oneself to getting a serious illness…
For my “like energy,” it’s not about being a success in the material world so much as a drive to be a success in my personal life — that is, a need to have my immediate world “just right.” I’m continually organizing, cleaning, making notes, planning, working to keep “my world” highly efficient… That’s my obsession. To a point that’s a good thing, as is working hard in the “real world,” but when it comes above one’s physical health, mental health, our spiriutal growth, being kind and charitable to others. taking time for others, giving love and attention to those we care about, then that’s a problem.
As I’ve written this post, I’ve become increasingly short of breath, a struggle to breathe right now… I s’pose this is a sign of my fear with the whole idea of having to embrace, deal with, FEEL, these emotions, these aspects of myself that are deemed so “negative” by this society…
I hope to soon heal myself of this “adrenaline addiction,” what I see as rooted in a desire to escape the pain of life by keeping the heart and mind racing. Too busy to notice the pain. I feel getting cozy with one’s emotions (readily embracing all of them, “good” and “bad”), and facing and clearing old traumas, facing the fear of all of that, and adhering to the advice in the above article, is a potent step toward healing.
Peace,
Dove
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Dove’s Art Dove’s Posts At-a-Glance Dove’s Tarot Website
My List of Them There Book Thingees :)
January 6, 2008
Also, with regard to reading books, my interest is primarily in the area of physical fitness, health and most especially metaphysics. I have lotsa books on those topics. I don’t so much read them as I read “at” them, bit and pieces, here and there. But I have many books, mostly metaphysical, that are so filled with underlining, notes and dog-ears, that it’s clear I’ve read them through many times :) And it also intrigues me that the woman who opened the door for me with all this “awakening” stuff, a psychic/teacher, told me during a potent reading and pivotal moment in my life, that I wouldn’t need to read books, that I would get what I needed “directly,” … an intuition kinda thing ;) And it is interesting, the things that “come” to me, I often later see them in a book or see that others are talking about and embracing the very thing that I had gotten “directly.”
Anyway, after all that rambling, here we go…
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01. One book that changed your life
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Now I haven’t actually completed this book, lol, but the primary concept grabbed me, and has never let go. And that is, that our emotions are potent, and that we create it all. That’s pretty much the gist of the book. Joy, use it for creating good things in your life :) and stop creating the icky stuff with all that fear.
“Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting” by Lynn Grabhorn
(subtitle: ”The astonishing power of feelings”)
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And also this book, because even after I’d pushed through my fear and purchased a deck of Tarot cards, I let it sit by my bed for about six months, still afraid of it (per religious teachings)…until I came upon this book, and it gave me the courage to go further. It made all the difference, the interpretations of the cards were much more positive than what I’d seen at that point…and I liked that a woman with a doctorate wrote it :)
“The Tarot Handbook” by Angeles Arrien
(subtitle: ”Practical Applications of Ancient Visual Symbols” … “Tarot symbols from a psychological, mythological and cross-cultural perspective’)
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Oh, I’m remembering some now :)
This one was very significant to my life. I remember, OMG, it was such a joy to read. It was like reading stuff I already knew… I sooo loved this book. It was the first “opening” for me.
“The Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield
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And..
“The Language of Letting Go” by Melody Beattie
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02. One book that you’ve read more than once
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I’ve never understood why people do this, lol… I don’t, not intentionally anyway. Again, piecemeal is how I often read books. In fact, I’ll often just pick up a book and ask it what I most need to learn from it in that moment, open it randomly and then drink in all the wisdom of it :) I’m sure I’ve read most of my Tarot books several times, and counting. I open them (and read! lol) daily. I have several and I also regularly study the Tarot online, but I most often reach for these two Tarot books…
“Tarot, Plain and Simple” by Anthony Louis
“The Complete Book of Tarot Reversals” by Mary K. Greer
(also upright interpretations)
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03. One book you’d want on a desert island
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Hmm, at first glance, that’s a toughie, but then on second thought, it would have to be..
Tarot :) … Yes, the Tarot is a book, the amazingly complex and often beautiful images speak volumes and it has no limitation from being bound ;) I’d choose this “book” in a heartbeat, both for the entertainment of it as well as an incomparable tool for survival.
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04. Two books that made you laugh
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I must say, I’ve always been very strict with myself, in that I don’t generally buy books for pleasure so much as for the betterment of myself, and for the acquisition of knowledge that I deem worthy. I’ve never really entertained the idea of taking the time with books for just the purpose of, well, entertainment. It always seemed like a waste of time to me in the past, but I would now if I felt drawn to do so…I just haven’t so far, lol ;) BUT, I do have this one book that I’ve read “at” over the years and it’s pretty funny — as well as informative, heh And it is…
“How to Shit in the Woods” by Kathleen Meyer (lol … it is funny)
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I don’t have another, but here’s one that I have very much enjoyed reading “at” over the years. The stories of real-life soulmate connections are awesome. Amazing, truly amazing, synchronicities as to how many of these couples met and all. Now I have read several of these stories more than once. Fun stuff :) (The author is Debbie Ford’s sister. Debbie wrote a book I did read all the way through a bunch of years ago, called “The Dark Side of the Light Chasers” — featured on Oprah, as I recall. I’d say that book had a significant impact on me, and the “Universe” gives it a big thumbs up.) But here’s the more fun book.
“Hot Chocolate for the Mystical Lover” by Arielle Ford
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05. One book that made you cry
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“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
Omg, I do love her writing. Her, I would read for joy :) if I could just get myself to sit down and read more. But the moment in this book that has stayed with me is the part where, as a young girl, she’s working for this woman who decides she doesn’t like Maya’s name, so the woman starts calling her by a different name, one the woman likes better. Gawd, that got me, treating her like she was a dog or something. I wanted to rip that woman’s head off… I allowed myself to feel Maya’s pain in that moment, yeah, it brought tears.
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06. One book that you wish had been written
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How ’bout two…
“How Men Can Overcome Their Fear of Women…and True Love”
“What the Bible is Really Trying to Teach Us”
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07. One book that you wish had never been written
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The person I copied this list from, put “The Bible” here and that’s a good choice, but even though those fearful interpretations have almost destroyed us, our world, there is truth in it, symbolic truth… Even so, I can’t think of any other book that has been more damaging to us, so I’m going to put that as well.
The Bible
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08. Two books you’re currently reading
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Well, sort of…here and there :)
“On Writing Well” by William Zinsser
(subtitle: “The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction”)
“Waking the Tiger, Healing Trauma” by Peter A. Levine
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09. One book you’ve been meaning to read
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Too many to list, but here’s a few that sit waiting for me in my bedroom…
“Painting from the Source” by Aviva Gold
(subtitle: “Awakening the Artist’s Soul in Everyone”)
“The Feeling Soul” by Mark Linden O’Meara
(subtitle: A Roadmap to Healing and Living”)
“Energy Medicine” by Donna Eden
“Witch Crafting” by Phyllis Curott
(subtitle: “A spiritual guide to making magic”)
I’ve read her “Book of Shadows,” which I loved and have been meaning to read this one for a while now. She’s an uptown New York City attorney, and voted one of the “Ten Gutsiest Women of the Year” in 1999 by Jane Magazine and was a finalist for the Walter Cronkite Faith and Freedom Award in 2000. I think she’s awesome, and I love the way she writes.
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10. Okay, I’m gonna try this taggin thing, but since I’ve been getting the number 3, I’ll do 3 :)
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The Power of Three and Vulnerable Eyes
January 5, 2008
By Dove, www.TarotwithLove.com I’ve been getting the number three like mad in the last 24 hours. It seems to be tied into the “celebrate” message I received from opening a book. In the Tarot, that message would be conveyed with the Three of Cups. What I didn’t mention in that post is that I “heard” some words before I opened the book, “pain, resurrection, peace…” And the book’s message seemed to align with those words. I didn’t wanna think about anymore pain, so I omitted mentioning that part. Just not a happy thought, that we’ve gotta move through the pain before we get to that wonderful peace.
Was feelin’ pretty blue today and wrote a lengthy rhyme about it on my “Write Off the Top of the Head” thread. Was “drawing” some cards just now online and drew a version of the Three of Swords, a card I invariably dread seeing. But this image really grabbed my heart. Oh-ma-gawd, those eyes — those are the kinda eyes I was talking about in my “Divine Eyes” post. Vulnerable eyes, so very vulnerable they are, we are, when we’re in pain.
I’m so proud of myself, I did some crying today :) and this card, this awesome image, it helped me to cry some more. And it wasn’t tears from my own pain, but that face, those eyes, so precious — it made me cry thinking of someone else hurting like that, so deeply…knowing how tired they are of it all, so frustrated by their own patterns, at a loss as to how to overcome them, how to heal them. And so they keep repeating them, continuing that sad cycle of pain, such a prison… I just wanna hug that heart so much.
I just can’t get over those eyes, I love that image. Here’s a link to it.
http://www.aeclectic.net/tarot/project/4/03_swords.shtml
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And here are a couple of interpretations for the three….
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Three: The spiritual meaning of number Three deals with magic, intuition, fecundity, and advantage. The number Three invokes expression, versatility, and pure joy of creativity. Three is also a time identifier as it represents Past, Present and future. Consecutive Three’s in your life may symbolize the need to express yourself creatively, or consider your present directional path in relation to your past events and future goals. Three’s may also represent promising new ventures, assurance of cooperation from others you may require help from, and Threes typically symbolize reward and success in most undertakings.
Source: http://www.whats-your-sign.com/spiritual-meaning-of-numbers.html
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Three (3)
The third dimension - we do things in threes so they will manifest in our physical realm.It’s roots stem from the meaning of multiplicity. Creative power; growth. Three is a moving forward of energy, overcoming duality, expression, manifestation and synthesis. Three is the first number to which the meaning “all” was given. It is The Triad, being the number of the whole as it contains the beginning, a middle and an end.
The power of three is universal and is the tripartide nature of the world as heaven, earth, and waters. It is human as body, soul and spirit. Notice the distinction that soul and spirit are not the same. They are not. Three is birth, life, death. It is the beginning, middle and end. Three is a complete cycle unto itself. It is past, present, future.
The symbol of three is the triangle. Three interwoven circles or triangles can represent the indissoluble unity of the three persons of the trinity. Others symbols using three are: trident, fleur-de-lis, trefoil, trisula, thunderbolt, and trigrams.
The astral or emotional body stays connected to the physically body for three days after death. There is scientific evidence that the brain, even when all other systems are failing takes three days to register complete shutdown.
There are 3 phases to the moon. Lunar animals are often depcited as 3 legged.
Three is the heavenly number, representing soul, as four represents body. Together the two equal seven (3+4=7 ) and form the sacred hebdomad. The 3×4=12 representing the signs of the Zodiac and months of the year.
Pythagorean three means completion.
There are three wishes, genies have three wishes, three leprecons, three prince or princesses, three witches, three weird sisters among others.
Source: http://www.crystalinks.com/numerology2.html
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{Dove: I started seeing the 3 everywhere (everywhere) last night, right after posting this comment on another’s blog… I was responding to the quote indicated, from another on that thread.}
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No, we definitely don’t need religion, and certainly not the fear-based interpretations of that old book, and the mega-controlling systems that sprouted from them…
“God said ‘where three or more are gathered in my name, that is where my church is’.”
Me, Myself and I (am) = 3 ![]()
The Body/Heart, the Mind, the Spirit = 3
(”The Father, the Son, The Holy Ghost”)
The Earth, the Sun, the Sky/Air = 3
She, He, Love = 3
Paintbrush, Paint, Artist = 3
The 3 in the Tarot is the Empress, she’s about love and creativity (she adores Nature, animals, gardening, creating…she is the perfect “Mother”). She nurtures/loves things to life.
We are the Seed, the Garden, the Flower (3) ![]()
“Church,” “God,” “Love,” “Passion” “Joy” “Creative/Spiritual/Intuitive Energy” … “Everything,” is within us.
Peace,
Dove
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