Go at your own pace but show up.

Some people run marathons. Some people can bench press 250 pounds. Today, I am just happy that I was able to do 24 angled push-ups (three sets of eight) in my clap push-ups challenge and walk 2 miles without a cane.

A couple of weeks ago I could do no more than three sets of five push-ups, and I was walking with my cane pretty much everywhere.

To me, diligence is key. So is consistency. Whatever it is we are trying to do if we show up, day in and day, out we will eventually progress. Even if in the moment it feels like we're walking backwards, at least, we're still walking. 

Every single thing that happens to us ends up being some sort of learning experience, I think. Most especially the things that cause us the greatest challenges end up being our greatest teachers. So, my questions for you are these. How are you going challenge yourself today? What goal post will you set for yourself? How will you thrive?

My challenge remains to keep getting stronger, more fit, happier, healthier, more productive, and more active in the causes I support. If your challenge is similar, let me know. After all, we're all in this together.

What's happening here and how do we all fix it?

I'm starting to wonder whether there is something happening to our species genetically/evolutionarily that we are seeing such a rise in what I term utter cruelty to those who are more defenseless than ourselves, whether it is just that we hear more about it in the information age, or whether this is a reaction to overall feelings of despair, helplessness, and powerlessness in our society/world. In my opinion, when people feel powerless, they will sometimes strike out at those more powerless than they are in order to get some control over the chaos of their lives. There are other paths and many take them. I realize that. But, this "If I subdue this child/cat/dog, etc., therefore I have control," issue feels more and real and valid to me.

The vile man who viciously beat his puppy (a post I put up yesterday on FB), the deviant who duct-taped a cat's face and paws shut (but left him in the parking lot of an animal shelter) so the kitty almost died, the bombing in Boston, and so many others that I have seen and been sickened by - what do they all have in common?

And what's more important, how do we treat the disease rather than the symptoms? How do we find the spark that will lead to awareness of the plight of others: people, animals, the environment? I can't help thinking that awareness will lead to compassion, and compassion will lead to action. Eventually, to survive, our species will have to find compassion and act on it, or I fear we will destroy ourselves. We live in a global village. We can no longer afford to not notice or not care about how others are treated.

Don't get me wrong. I realize that I am privileged. I live well. I do work I love. One of the reasons I can even spend time contemplating this issue is because I am not doing back-breaking work in a field somewhere. By accident of birth, by the choices my parents made to bring us to the USA, by a lot of luck, I have a very different life than I otherwise might have had.

But, the life I have is the life I have and because of this, I need to speak out, ask the questions, and act. How do we combat this trend? What can we do, individually, to change the trajectory?

I feel like Master Yoda had it right. I'm paraphrasing here: Greed, anger, hate - these lead to the dark side. I believe with all my heart that they do. And with all my heart, I believe we can change. We can grow. We can find compassion and not just for those in our immediate circles. We can see one another and all beings as part of a greater whole. When we see each other, truly see each other, we recognize all as part of our one big, noisy, infinite, chaotic, glorious family. We all matter: the children, the women, the men, the animals, the plants, the rocks, the waters, the clouds, the very air we breathe. Each must be equally important if we are to survive and dare I say it, thrive.

Today's Tarot: Page of Rods (Being creative, daring, and spontaneous)

What are we waiting for? Let's get out there. Let's be creative. Let's joyfully live our truth. Let's manifest our vision of the world. Wait, what? We're too tired? We have to pay this month's bills? We have dishes in the sink? We have to walk the dog? We have to ... yeah.

In life, there is always a balancing act between what we want to do and what we have to do. And when we throw in what we need to do, why then we can get well and truly stuck. We might feel paralyzed by the "shoulds" in our lives. So, instead of living these fruitful, productive, creative, fulfilling lives, we get by on the promise that someday, we'll make time for the things we love to do.

Here's the problem with "someday." It's today. It's right this second. Every instant of our lives, we choose a should, a can, a want, a get to, or a must do. Each time we choose away from a can, a want, or a get to, we choose away from our true selves. Please don't get me wrong. I'm not at all intimating that we ought not take care of the day-to-day stuff of our lives. For most of us, that is the reality. We have to-do lists that would choke a dragon and we are always trying to catch up. Here's the thing, though. That list will still be there later if you decide to take a wee break and go do something that feeds your soul.

I think the problem is that we get so bogged down by the imminence of deadlines that we forget to release our anxiety about some of those deadlines every once in a while just so we can breathe, and perhaps run, and even play. And that's vital to our health, our balance, and I daresay our very lives.

The Page of Rods doesn't give a hoot about deadlines and must-dos. The Page of Rods joyfully shouts her truth out into the universe and then runs and plays on swingsets or whistles an old song she learned in fourth grade. She plays with words and life and worlds. She imagines and then she acts on these imaginings.

She is bold and fearless and creative. She dips her ladle into the silver waters of the River of All That Is (more on this later) and then drinks deeply from its creative, satiating waters. She learns from everything and then she acts on that new information fully and purposely.

So that's our mission for the day. Let's dip the ladles of our thoughts and actions into that creative, glorious river. Let's learn from that which connects each and every one of us. And then, let's extend ourselves and our truth in ever widening circles of creative joy. It won't be easy and might feel impossible, but even a tiny action taken from that place of spontaneous joy will have ripple effects on every other part of our lives.

Do one thing from that place today, and life will change. Dot an "i" with a smiley face like you did when you were a kid. Blow bubbles through your straw. Laugh with a stranger over something you both see. Give a random compliment. Buy a flower and hand it someone on the street. Or buy yourself one and enjoy it all day. Walk outside, turn your face to the sun, close your eyes, and breathe (even for just a minute). Do something that feeds your innermost being and then move forward with that part leading the way.

Oh and if you need to have a conversation with someone and you've been putting it off, today will be a fantastic day to do it.

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Today's Tarot: The Hermit (solitude, alone time, knowing your own worth)

There is a big difference between being alone and being lonely. The Hermit has chosen a life of solitude, but she or he is not lonely. There is a purity of purpose to his/her solitude. Whether it's a life of examination, meditation, communion with spirit, dedication to a craft, or the simple desire to be alone with our thoughts, sometimes, we just need that alone time.

Unfortunately, sometimes we need that alone time long before we realize we need it. We need time to meditate or ruminate or just be with our own thoughts, but for whatever reason, we don't take it. Instead of spending time alone to recharge, say, we turn our back on solitary time. Rather, we end up joining social events, causes, clubs, etc. We try to fill the well with external influences when what we might really need is space and time to take things in from a universal source. We can call it God or gods or universe or nature or books. It doesn't matter. What does matter is that we take the time to do it.

Sometimes, we must demand the right to solitude from others. Sometimes, we have to demand it from ourselves. Try as we might, we can't run away from our own thoughts no matter what we do to get away from them. We can turn to partying, alcohol, sometimes drugs, extreme sports, extreme activities in general but our thoughts are right there the instant we're no longer vigilant at keeping them at bay. In the end, it's easier to take some time to be hermits and sit with our thoughts and feelings. If we make friends with them, we can begin to understand them. Whatever those thoughts and feelings are, they loom worse - darker, inkier, and possibly more terrifying - before we name them and shine the light on them.

When we spend time in repose, we get the opportunity to do that. We get to be with our thoughts, dreams, hopes, fears, and plans. Mostly, though, we allow ourselves to be truly honest with ourselves and we give ourselves the opportunity to confront and make friends with ourselves and that is the most vital relationship we will ever have.

Today, if you can, spend some time in repose. Give yourself time to be alone with your thoughts without to-do lists, without guilt, and without judgment. Even five minutes spent in self-examination can change our lives. Certainly, it will change our day.


Link to the Hermit image page.

Today's Tarot: the Devil (greed, imprisonment, self-deception)

I find this card a hard one to write about. There are so many connotations that people find it hard to objective about this card. We tend to ascribe so many meanings, facets, and patinas to it that we never get to bottom of things.

In my opinion, it is easy to put all the negative qualities we might feel internally onto a mythical figure, call him/it the ultimate in evil and be done with it. In some ways, that lets us off the hook. Here's the thing, though. It doesn't. That ol' chestnut, "the Devil made me do it," is the worst kind of cop out. Instead of standing up and saying, "yes, I have less than stellar moments. Yes, I've done things I'm not proud of but I am trying to make amends, trying to improve," we say, it's the fault of the Devil, with a big capital D. In the end, though, it isn't true, is it? In the end, we are responsible for what we do. We must take our less than stellar moments, accept that we were capable of them, and then do better.

So, yes, this card does mean greed. It means every single petty and not-so-petty time we have been greedy, small-minded, closed-minded, or mean. It's the ugly underbelly of our own highest thoughts and best attempts.

It also means imprisonment. As long as we don't accept our own faults and flaws, as long as we try to palm our negative qualities on some mythical man/beast/fallen angel, we stay imprisoned in our fear of being caught, in our terror of being found out to be less than perfect. In effect, we are sometimes terrified of being found out to be human. Humans run the gamut of actions and emotions. We can exhibit the kindness of the angels, or the malice of the devils. And we need to accept that both reside inside us. The ones we show to the world are entirely up to us. And, every single instant of every single day brings us to the fork in the road about what we will show to the world and what we will exhibit. Will it be kindness or malice? Will it be generosity or greed?

The key here is to remove the veils from our own eyes and see ourselves clearly. If we do that, then we arrive at that place of balance where neither devils nor angels hold sway. The old image of a person trying to make a decision with an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other comes to mind here. They are trying to talk the person into either doing the right or wrong thing, make the right or wrong choice. If the person accepts that the responsibility is ultimate his/hers, then the devil and angel no longer have a voice. Then, that voice is entirely internal and either the credit or the blame becomes internal as well.

So, today, when you are trying to reach decisions, trying to decide how to move forward, act in the moment, or say or do anything, remember the Devil is internal and he/she/it will always pull you toward greed at the expense of others and the kind of selfishness that is ultimately just a little malicious. Taking care of ourselves and being selfish in our self care is one thing. But doing so with complete disregard for others is another thing entirely.

I am reminded of the quote. “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”—Malcolm S. Forbes.

If the Devil is about greed, then this previous quote is its Achilles Heel.

Advice: To coin flip or not to coin flip

Do you, like me, get asked for advice a lot? And do you, like me, sometimes cringe when you give your advice and immediately you watch the asker(s) go off and do the exact opposite of what you advised them to do. For years, I've cringed when I have witnessed this behavior. And recently, I've learned to let my reaction ago. Why, you ask? Well, it's because I want to be helpful when giving advice. And I have felt the opposite of helpful when I've given it and then watched the person spin a 180 and go off in a totally different direction.

However, I've realized that just the giving of the advice can be extremely helpful regardless of whether or not the person takes it. And I've had to get my own ego out of the way so I wasn't so invested in the person taking my advice (tough one for me since I've worked as a life coach for many years and got accustomed to people taking my advice both to heart and to the letter).

Sometimes and even often, people ask for your advice/comments on something not because they will take that advice or those comments to heart, but more because they want to clarify for themselves exactly what they do or don't want.

To me, it's kind of like flipping a coin when you are trying to decide "yes" or "no" about something. Next time you want to do/buy/see/go to something and you need to decide whether or not to do it, take a coin, decide, heads=yes and tails=no and then flip. What do you feel immediately upon looking at the coin. Is it satisfaction and excitement? If so, then by all means, do what the coin flip suggested. Is it instead a sharp pang (no matter how small) of disappointment? Well, then go do the opposite of what the coin flip suggested.

We all already know what we want to do. Sometimes, we know it secretly, in our heart of hearts and we are too afraid to reach for it, to decide it, or to do it. So, we sort of have to remove ourselves from the equation and we instead leave it up to fate to decide for us. But you know what? The coin flip doesn't decide a thing. All it does is clarify for us exactly what we want if we stop and gauge our own reaction to the result.

Once we know and acknowledge that instantaneous reaction, we can move forward with the knowledge that we are doing what we really want to do with clarity of vision, purpose, and heart.

Today's Tarot: Eight of Cups (chosen paths, no regrets, daring)

I love this card! It falls in the middle of one of my favorite runs in the tarot, the seven, eight, and nine of cups. The seven of cups talks to us about choices and options. We have them and we are faced with what we are going to do about them (see that entry here). The nine of cups is ultimately about being happy, content, and satisfied with our lot (see that entry here). The eight of cups is about that intermediate step. It is about the process of making or having just made those choices and living in the new reality that the choice has created.

Every time we choose door a over door b, we set up an entirely new reality for ourselves. We have sometimes radically different experiences when we've chosen one path over another. It can be as simple as the choice over where to go for dinner. One will lead you to quiet space where you eat your Ethiopian food alone with your thoughts. Another might lead you to your favorite pizza joint where you meet up with a couple of acquaintances, slide into a political debate with a friend of theirs and end up with a job offer to go work for a Senator. Any number of things can happen and the eight encourages us to be daring in our choices and brave with the results.

Allow me to explain that last sentence. I was just reading an interview with Andrew McCarthy (the actor, director, and travel writer) and someone asked him about bravery. After a bit of back and forth about definitions, McCarthy said he believed there was a difference between daring and bravery. He said, "Daring is proactive. Bravery is reactive."

I read it and I fell in love with the statement. And I am impressed with the universe for helping me choose the Eight of Cups, not fifteen minutes after I read this statement. The card epitomizes that difference and highlights the paradigm.

So, today, I encourage you to be both daring and later brave. Be daring (the tail end of the seven of cups) as you make your choices and choose your path. And then be brave with your chosen path and the consequences of that path.

Choose wisely. Choose boldly and then have no regrets.

My quote of the week this week is appropriate here: "Everything that happens, happens exactly as it should because that's the way it happens." (wish I had a citation but I don't and if I ever find it, I will come back and cite this)

It is particularly true here. Even if in the moment, the daring choice you've just made feels like the absolute wrong one, be brave. You are on the right track ... to somewhere. And that somewhere is going to be exactly where you need to end up.

Today's Tarot: Hierophant (learning, knowledge, information)

Learn and then do. Know and then act. Find out and then react. The Hierophant can be a tough taskmaster. He calls on us to know before we act. That can really cramp your style when all you want to do is jump in and get going. But, often when we do that, instead of coming up with the goose that laid the golden egg, we end up with egg on our faces.

Today isn't the day to take a leap. Instead, today is the day to step back and observe. Note what is going on inside and out. If there is something you don't know, look it up, wait for the information to become available. Ask questions. Study. Seek. Intuit. Know.

If you leap off the cliff before you know whether the water is welcoming or whether there are jagged rocks on which you'll dash yourself, you are taking an unnecessary chance. Many days, I will say, it's worth it. Go for it. Roll the dice. Play the game. Leap. Today, not so much.

At the very least, today I ask you to know your own motivations. Know yourself. Know what you want, need, and desire. If it's a secret want, at least be honest with yourself about it. It does us no good whatsoever to lie to ourselves but oh we can be good at it. Our powers of rationalization kick our own butts all the time. If you see yourself rationalizing, stop. Step back and figure out why you are making excuses for yourself or for others around you. There is information for you even in that place of pulling the wool over your own eyes. Something is making you do it. Figure out what that something is and you will be most of the way to fixing it.

I tell my students to "know the rules before you break them." Never has this been more true than it is today.

Today's Tarot: Six of Cups (innocence, childhood, play)

Six of Cups (innocence, childhood, play)

Is ignorance really bliss? That's the question the six of cups makes me ponder this morning. It's all about childhood innocence and play. When you pull the six of cups, you know you are in for a treat because it tends to hearken back to times of fun and games, when we loved the thrill of commonplace things and where the most mundane activity could become a thrilling adventure.

Unless, there were very unhappy times in your childhood in which case sending your thoughts back might not give you the warm fuzzies. Often, children are happy because they don't know any better. If you need an amazing example of that, see the incredible Benigni film, "La Vita e Bella." But those who learn some of life's hard lessons early can have a much tougher time getting to that place of joy. And I submit for your consideration that those who do make it to a place of joy after many trials have an even bigger slice of the happiness pie. The happiness is more hard-won and therefore more worth the earning (to only slightly misquote Fitzwilliam Darcy in "Pride and Prejudice"). And I think those who come by their joy after arduous times appreciate it more, somehow.

As adults, when we do feel that surge of happiness, it comes to us with an abundance of life experience: good, bad, and indifferent. We have history and all we have seen, heard, and learned on our side. And if we can still grab joy with both hands and hold it close to our hearts, then we are blissful indeed.

So, today, despite or because of all that has brought to this place and this time, count your blessings, hold them close with both arms, and play.

Today's Tarot: Ten of Rods (Struggle, Movement, Motion)

Today's Tarot: Ten of Rods (Struggle, Movement, Motion)

Have you ever felt like just packing up all your toys and going home? Sometimes, after struggling to make something work or to make your square peg fit into something else's round hole, or just to pretend long enough and hard enough that you actually care about the minutiae of whatever it is that you are supposed to be concentrating on when you all really want to do is go somewhere warm and wild and dance naked in the sunlight, you decide that you are just done.

When you are done, be done. If you just can't handle one more excruciating meeting or one more dish to wash, or one more paper to grade or one more note to take, and you need a mental health break, then go do that for yourself (it will all still be there when you come back, anyway). 

Take care of your need to take care of yourself. We spend a lot of our time fulfilling responsibilities for everyone and everything except that ones that our inner being really needs. Yes, we make money to pay bills. Yes, we study. Yes, we walk the dog. Yes, we sweep the floor or scrub the tub. We do all those when what we might really want to do has nothing whatsoever with obligations and much more with desires.

This card reminds me of a small scene from the movie "Never Been Kissed." In the movie, a reporter goes undercover at a high school to get the scoop on the teen experience. While at school, she is required to take gym. At one point, while running in gym class, she falls to the ground and gasps for breath. The gym teacher stands over her and yells at her that if she doesn't get up and finish her mile run, that she will fail gym and will therefore never get into a good college. She looks up at the teacher and pants, "Are you still telling them that crap?" (I am paraphrasing here, but you get my point.)

Now that Josie (the reporter) is out of high school and now that she has some perspective, what had seemed so daunting and crucial back in high school has lost most of its importance both to her status and to her life.

That is the way with most things. In the moment, they might make you crazed. But once you get some distance and perspective, you realize that they aren't that big a deal and you have a lot more freedom than you thought you did.

So, here's your mission. If you are done, be done. If you are ready to move, do so. If you want a change, make one. As long as you are willing to face whatever consequences  your actions create, I say go for it.

One last thing, if you've been thinking about moving (job, house, etc.) today is an excellent day to get that ball rolling.

Today's Tarot: The High Priestess (secrets, internal awareness, independence)

Today's Tarot: The High Priestess.

(Secrets, Internal awareness, Independence)

In my mind, there are two big archetypical women in the deck. The first is the Empress, who represents the caring, mothering aspect. Then, there is the High Priestess who represents the strong, independent aspect. She holds herself to herself, knows what she wants, and gets the job done.

She is fiercely independent. The trouble is, even she sometimes needs a helping hand, but often, she is too independent to ask. And, she might feel that showing vulnerability is a sign of weakness so she carries on but therefore perhaps misses out on opportunities for growth and connection. That reluctance to ask for help, reliance on secrecy, and reticence can bring their own share of troubles. First, if we stay quiet about needing help, we miss opportunities to learn other ways of doing things. Second, we run the danger of becoming like the little hamster running in a wheel. The little guy runs, runs, runs, but he never gets anywhere.

Chances to change, learn, and grow must be grasped and utilized. If we don't, then we run the risk of remaining in a sort of stasis, like a deserted island. Sure, the island is pristine and lovely, but there's no life on it to bring it energy and vitality. 

The agitation that comes from stepping out of your comfort zone brings that spark and High Priestess can use that spark to fan all sorts of flames if she has the courage to make the choices that she internally knows she must make. But, often, the High Priestess remains a little removed from the mess of the every day and although she remains pristine, she also remains untouched and untouchable. 

That mess, that life brings the good, the bad, and the ugly. But, at least it brings ... something. And if what you don't want today is stagnation, then your mission is clear. Make your choice. Drink from one of the cups of chance and choose a path. Find that courage you already possess inside you. Once you do, you will be unstoppable.

Today's Tarot: Queen of Pentacles (nurturing, abundance, peace-of-heart)

Today's Tarot: Queen of Pentacles.

Nurturing, abundance, peace-of-heart.

One of my favorite cards, the Queen of Pentacles calls on us to do that which can be so hard. She calls on us to stop rushing, stop stressing, and trust that things are exactly where they are supposed to be.

There is a quote, the source of which I don't know, but it goes like this: "Everything that happens, happens exactly as it should because that's the way it happens." And the longer I live, the more I think that is truth of the highest order. We can't know the extent of the pattern while we are in that pattern. It is often only later, when we have time or distance behind us that we see the whys and wherefores.

So, today, no matter where you are, choose to trust that things are where they are supposed to be. Choose to relax into the process of your life, instead of focusing on the destination. And last of all, choose to accept the peace that comes with knowing that time and distance aren't the only ways to get perspective. True, mindful acceptance of what is, is another.

http://readingsbyizolda.com

Today's Tarot: The World (fulfillment, completion, integration)

Today's Tarot: The World.

(Fulfillment, Completion, Integration)

(The following is a PG-17 write-up so please refrain from reading or check with your parents if you are younger than that.)

Ooh, this is one of my favorite cards (if you are younger than 18, please don't read the following sentence...) It is like a life orgasm.

We tend to strive for achievement in our lives. We tend to either sail or work for completion (see? kind of like sex) and after we achieve the ending of the sine wave of ups and downs that get us toward the finish line, we tend to have a little while of stillness, and stasis. For some of us, that stasis is lovely and for some (over achievers), it tends to become a "what's next?" moment. It might not be optimal but that's where some people go.

So, today is a moment to either celebrate your life orgasm and relax into it, or it is a moment to take stock, recognize that some big cycle in your life has ended or is ending, allow it to flow to a finish, and then evaluate where you are now and where you want to go next.

Completion can often bring an itch to start something new. Nothing wrong with that, except that it is not only okay, but fabulous to take a second, sit down on those laurels and rest, truly and well.

You've earned your bliss through all the work that it took to get you to your life orgasm. Now, give yourself permission to sigh, celebrate the finish line, and to luxuriate in where you have arrived.

This Week's Element: Fire

In "Life Elements" we discuss the transformative nature of Fire. Fire changes everything it touches. It is an alchemy by which one state of matter will change into another. If you want to cultivate the ability to enact change in your life, meditate on Fire's evolutionary nature. In order to begin one thing, you must end another. In order to create something, you must destroy something else. Fire does both, perfectly.

Today's Tarot: Two of Cups: Love your Partners in Crime

Today's Tarot: Two of Cups. 

Attraction, Union, Optimism.

If in the romance aspect of life, this is a time to follow that which attracts you. Acknowledge that the heart wants what it wants. Better to go for it, risk rejection, and know once and for all than to sit in darkness and curse the light. And you might get exactly what you want.

If in other aspects of life, look for those with whom you will share that spark and connection that will allow and inspire you to greatness. None of us can do it alone and if we try, we are often left victorious but of lonely.

If you are going to go for it, go for it with "partners in crime."

Personal Demons? What personal demons?

Ten of Pentacles, Page of Cups, the Hermit. Seriously? These cards? Together?? Normally, when I draw cards, I see some sort of story. This morning? Heh, it will take some doing. The best thing I can tell you is that your intuition is trying to tell you something. Stop ignoring it. Whatever is going on in your life, you're shutting your eyes and ears to an important message and the question to ask yourself is why? Why ignore what could be so very good for you? Why turn a blind eye to the truth that's been sitting up and begging to be acknowledged? Sometimes, we ignore the very thing we need to analyze, the thing that we need to address. When we do, it's often because we're afraid. Fear can be a great motivator, but it can also leave us paralyzed and today isn't a day to be paralyzed. Today is more a day to draw back and assess your feelings, your situation, and most of all, yourself.

Now, let's break down the cards. The Ten of Pentacles says you want a sense of permanence. The Page of Cups says new things are coming (especially on an emotional level) and that might be scary but needs to be addressed. The Hermit? The Hermit is a card of solitude. Allow yourself the time to be alone, and perhaps even lonely. That loneliness has information for you. It will help you figure out the very things you want and need. Look at it. Look at what makes you lonely in the moment. Is it a ghost of desires past, or is there something else you could be learning from it? Because if you can learn from this loneliness, well then, you'll never better for next time.

If you keep pushing yourself in the direction of people (who may or may not satisfy the loneliness and chances are they won't, because I'm betting it's an internal issue that needs to be addressed) then you won't make the decisions you need to make for your long-term wellbeing. Here's what sucks: what's good (or seems good) for you in the moment, is not necessarily good for you in the long run. So, consider turning your back on the shiny, pretty distractions. Instead, focus in on yourself, even if that kind of assessment scares you. Now, today, if you're going to get information on how to proceed, on what's best for you, it's going to be because you stand up to some of your internal demons and tell them to sit down and hush. They won't necessarily disappear, but at least they'll have to take notice that you're on to them and that eventually, you will kick them out on their rear ends.

Today's Tarot 3/3/12

3/3/12. Page of Swords, Ace of Pentacles. Hmm, the first card drawn was the same as yesterday. And, I tried, twice, to choose a different card because I though that it would be kind of ridiculous to write up the same card two days in a row. Not so. The ridiculous thing is that I chose it again, and then again. Obviously, that darn Page isn't done with us yet. So, here goes. Remember how yesterday I said that we really ought to be the person who thinks things through? Well, that goes double for today. Plan, plot, predict, and whatever other P-word you want to use that means, "think it through." Do that. It's important. For whatever reason, the Ace of Pentacles, the card that represents the basic and true you, in your day-to-day, really needs you to strategize rather than jump on in. The Ace is a tremendous card. It represents all new possibilities in your life. It manifests the physical good, the germinating seed that stretches for the sun. It is the beginning of sustenance and the lovely feeling of relaxation that can come over us when we know that we and those we love are cared for, provided for, and safe. The way to do that? Think.