03.07.2018 - Reading for Sylvia
Sylvia asked about her professional career as well as artistic pursuits.
I drew 3 OF SWORDS, 9 OF WANDS, 3 OF WANDS:
3 of Swords represents the release of pain and confusion. When we think about past Selves, we often mourn them and feel sorrowful. Jodorowsky points out that in the process of navigating our present, true Selves, we find can ourselves caught in the fog between believing and knowing ourselves. Allow these feelings to cycle through and you will gain clarity about the direction of your life. Know yourself. When we were younger, I remember very clearly you saying that identity is cyclical. With any cycle comes grief, but we always learn something about ourselves in the process of shedding our past selves.
The beautiful thing about the well of creativity is its ever-presence. Creativity is not tied to time or space and is always there for you when you need it–you just have to allow yourself access. Priorities change and we seek new adventures and careers constantly, but creativity always remains. Not unlike creative drive, career paths also are always available for folks of our generation. Yes, there are always hypotheticals and "shoulda, woulda, coulda's" that pop in to our monkey brains, as well as practical responsibilities, but frankly, basing your life around non-realities and ephemera is a waste of the precious lifetime you've been granted. To paraphrase Picasso, inspiration is real, but it has to find you working. If your heart of hearts is pulling you away from the disillusionment and lack of structure of your job, my best advice would be to follow that impulse. The 9 of Wands reminds us that we should take strength in knowing that we can be ourselves without concession. The most extreme energy behind this card is "win or die." Incrementalism is obviously a healthier tactic when it comes to making shifts in our lives on a tangible level, but let "win or die" be your mantra as you're navigating through your doubts and anxiety.
Be virtuous in your pursuit of Self and art. Do your work without lust for end. Seek out your truth, find meaning, swallow the world and make it your own. Taking the risk to pursue yourself is the most noble, brave adventure. It is your responsibility to yourself and to humanity to follow your heart's true will and give back to the well of creative, collective consciousness. Never give up!