Monday, December 26, 2011

12/27/11—Waiting To Make Our Move

Today's Draw: The Hanged Man from the Maroon Tarot. Do you have a New Year's tradition? What does it involve? And if you make resolutions or wishes, what will be on your list this year?

The Hanged Man is a card that is traditionally about patience, time in suspension or voluntary sacrifice. It's sort of a neutral card in the tarot. It's not one you dread getting, nor is it one you look forward to. It says now is not the time to act. You may experience a delay before you get what you want. Or you may have to give up something of value to get what you want.

But this Hanged Man is kind of interesting. First, he's hanging like a bat. He has bat wings. Usually you might see this card using all manner of rope and restraints to hang the man upside down, but this guy hangs on his own volition, organically.

Nor is he somber or of neutral gaze. He knows very well what he's waiting for. Despite the fact that he's been waiting quite some time, he's infinitely alert. The way he holds his arms betrays his discipline. Rather than being caught in a web, you get the impression he's the creator of the web. These pod-like things seem to be part of his plan...perhaps the remains of earlier prey?

He's like a frog waiting for a fly. A cat awaiting a mouse. A hunter tracking a deer. Soon, whatever he's waiting for will come into striking distance. And it will not stand a chance.

When it comes to creating change in our lives, January 1 is a symbolic, yet arbitrary day to launch a new beginning. And yet it's the day we wait for each year in order to make our move. We could do the same on Arbor Day, our birthday or today and the occasion would be just as fitting. But at least we know on this day, we'll have plenty of company with plenty of energy behind change.

What are you waiting to begin with the new year? A new health regime? Something with your career? Each year I have a tradition around the New Year, usually involving resolutions. Some years I'll do affirmations instead of resolutions. It all depends on what I think is the wisest tack for me at that particular time of my life.

2011 was a pretty big year for me. I got a publishing contract and wrote a book. Won awards for my creative work. Completed a whole calendar year with my blog. "Appeared" on a radio program. Did a good deal of professional tarot reading. Started teaching classes. Had a few passing male interests. Came out of a dense multi-year fog. And just really made some significant leaps in my personal and spiritual ways of being.

So I looked back in my journal to see what I had resolved for the year and what I had written in last year's year-end retrospective, a tradition I had been keeping for 20 years or more. And you know what I found? Nothing. I blew it off last year!

The one year that I accomplished more than I usually do in any five years, I made no resolutions, surrounded it with no ceremony and gave it no import whatsoever. I didn't even give myself one of my soulful tarot readings to guide said tradition. I completely blew it off.

For the past week I've been kind of plotting in my mind how I would greet the new year and honor my yearly tradition, but realizing I had a banner year the year I skipped tradition entirely, I'm thinking twice. Sometimes the best plans are the ones you don't make, I suppose.

So what's your plan for greeting the New Year?

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