8/13/13—Shifting Perspective

Today's Draw: Temperance and Three of Batons from the Kilted Rubber Chicken Tarot by Beth Seilonen. Are you stuck in the weeds of your life? Are you knocked off kilter by some petty nonsense happening around you? Is it time to readjust your focus in life so you can make progress on your goals?

I had decided that I was going to use the 1969 Tarot all week this week because I really like that deck and wanted to explore it more. But today I received this deck from Beth in the mail. Still, I was going to save it until next week, figuring Beth would understand. Then I opened the package and the deck was wrapped in Kilted Rubber Chicken wrapping paper and it was accompanied by a Kilted Rubber Chicken card and my Grinch's heart grew three sizes. I could not resist. 

So today we feature Beth's newest 78-card deck, the Kilted Rubber Chicken, which blends elements from RWS tarot, Tarot de Marseilles and Lenormand. And I know Beth would like that I'm going to read it like Lenormand, instead of tarot. :)

So today's message is that we find balance in the big-picture perspective. At least that's how I'm reading it today. And here's why that's so wise...

We spend most of our lives in the weeds, sweating over errands, current tasks and everyday issues. It's like trying to walk from here---->X to that building over there------>X looking at your feet the entire time. As long as the building is big and not too far away, we'll probably make it there. But the farther off the building is and the more specific it is, chances are we're going to miss it. Much better to stop being entrenched in every step along the way and, instead, assess the whole picture and make a plan. 

The same is true about our dreams in life. It's hard to get from here to there if we put all our

KRC Swag—lwb, note card, wrapping paper, custom box,
and signed, numbered LE card.

energy into "today's tasks for simple survival" instead of plotting out a big picture plan. With the big picture plan in place, you're in a more strategic position to weed out the things that are wasting your time. If they're not part of the "big dream", then you don't need to be doing them. And you can take that time and focus it on charting and traveling a course that brings you to where you need to go, instead of missing it by a mile. 

The same is true about maintaining our balance. And as an emotional, dramatic person, I need to remind myself of this. If you want to remain balanced, focus on the big picture. The co-worker whose questionable work is dragging down the progress of the project you're working on may be pissing you off and making you work harder right now. But seen through the lens of the picture and your dream to move to Paris and become a painter, the co-worker might actually be a blessing to your plan in that they motivate you to move forward. Imagine them getting promoted and becoming your boss and Paris will be so close you'll be able to smell the pommes frites. 

Balance and efficiency are the gifts of perspective, and each feeds off the other to move you forward. So think about the things drawing on your physical, intellectual and emotional resources today and ask yourself if they're worthy of your effort in the long run. In the example above, doing and keeping your job may be important to your plan for the time being, but sweating your co-worker's bad behavior probably isn't. If you have to clean up after him to suit your short term needs, don't waste your mental energy fighting it. Soon you'll be painting landscapes with some dude named Pierre and you won't even  remember you co-worker's name.