Self-Care, Self-Love, & Patience

This week's cards rock, on toast, with sugar-free, all natural jam.

The first card: Two of Cups. This card is all about connection, sharing, a soul-to-soul union. If the past comes calling (and by "the past," I mean an old lover/partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/snookly, and that person gave you warm fuzzies and you parted on good terms with love in your hearts, then by all means, consider giving it another go. If not, why then stay on the lookout this week for someone who will trip your "Universe Is Smiling On This Union" switch. Be careful not to jump guns, but seriously, this could be a beautiful foray into a whole new dimension in love.

If that "holy crap, how am I going to handle all this love coming at me" thing doesn't happen, then it's really time to look deep into your soul and see what you need to feel loved, cared for and joyful. Need a foot rub? go get one, or heck find directions on how to give yourself an at home foot spa treatment. In fact, here are some now: http://skincare.about.com/od/caringforyourfeet/ht/footspa.htm. Take the time to decide what you need and then do a wee bit of research and you will move toward that goal.

Tuesday, especially, you will want to practice self-care. If someone starts giving you grief, walk away. Don't engage. They aren't worth it. You deserve better and you know it.

The second card: Queen of Cups. Self-love in all its glory. What does it take to get us to go deep inside and find that small, secret, scared part of ourselves and then nurture it (which by the way is a revolutionary act)? What do we need in order to show ourselves compassion? How far down the road of stress and unhappiness do we need to get before we cut ourselves some slack? This is your mission should you choose to accept it.

This week: Be Kind To Yourself. Love yourself. Give yourself frequent breaks (particularly if you live in the really hot parts of the world. It's brutal out there and we have shorter fuses when nature is being extreme). Drink deeply from life's well, this week. Spend time in repose. Allow yourself to feel, really feel, what's going on inside. Figure out your needs and try to meet the ones you can meet. You might not be able to meet them all right now, but that doesn't mean you won't. And this way, you will at the very least have a set of needs identified. Once you have that, the rest becomes all about finding new and creative ways both to love yourself and to move forward on your path. Oh, and creativity plays a big role here. Be unapologetic about what you create. You are the artist of your own life and don't you forget it. Oh and for you artistic, creative types, now would be a great time to break out your old copy of Julia Cameron's "The Artist's Way" (or check it out from your library) and work through the book. You will be delighted that you did.

The third card: Temperance. "Be patient" is one of the worst things you can say to me. WTH?? I want it (whatever it is) and I want it now. The need for patience makes me want to tear out my own hair. I chafe about it. I gnaw and gnash over it. I am not good at it. And you know what? This week, the universe just doesn't give a flying rat's butt. This week (and perhaps longer, darn it) it's all about patience. Things come when they do. And it's our job to get over ourselves, sit down, hush up, and wait for the signal. We will know it when we see it. And it will come.

Fight for what you want. You deserve it.

Today's cards: Eight of Pentacles, Nine of Pentacles, Five of Rods. Yeow. If this isn't a call to (metaphoric) arms, I don't know what is. Seriously, today is the day to stand up for yourself, accept that you know what you know, are good at what you do, and then make sure everyone else knows it, too.

Oh, and if you don't know it all, you can certainly find out what you need. The eight of pentacles is here to tell you that as a student (in school, of life, continuing professional development, whatever), you are in the best place you can possibly be. You already know what you need to know. You are already good enough for whatever it is you want to achieve. However, others might try to tell you that you're not. Or, they might even try to denigrate you deliberately and overtly. Don't let them. Know your own mind. And if you can't make it work with those people, Go. Somewhere. Else. Find another way. If you love what you do, or want to do, you will find a way.

The Nine of Pentacles speaks loudly and clearly about the need for your space to be yours and for you to be comfortable, not just at home or at work, but in your own skin. So, if you need to leave wherever you are, do so. If you can't do that for various reasons (you know, putting food on the table is important, or rent is due, or other big reasons to stay in a job that is a pain), then find a way to come to peace with what you do need to do. Meditate, breathe deeply, take a walk, find a kernel of fun/enjoyment in the drudgery or deadlines. Whatever it is you need to do to make it happen, do that.

The thing is that there will always be battles to fight. That will not change. So, if you have battles to fight today, do that. But, fight smart. Fight efficiently. And most of all, fight fair.

Now, go kick some butt!