I Spy with My Little Eye, the Letter C

Marcia Richards had a fun post in which she shared her top 10 favorite things starting with the letter L. She had an awesome list. Marcia offered to assign a letter to anyone who wanted to play along.

She gave me “C”

Without further ado, and in no particular order, here are my top 10 favorite things beginning with “C”

Christmas
(Yep, Christmas morning at our house after the boys attacked the presents.)

Celts
(You knew this had to be here somewhere, right?)

Cross Stitch

Children
(The Wee Beasties)

Cinnamon Rolls

Coming Home
(Is there anything better than coming home and sleeping in your own bed?)

Chocolate

Candles
(Especially around the bath tub, right Natalie?)

Claus
(As in Santa Claus. Yeah, I know it’s a bit of a cheat.)

Check out some of the other people playing along:

Myndi Shafer: B
Natalie Hartford: J
Kathy Owen: R

Aren’t you impressed it wasn’t all chocolate? If you’d like to play along, let me know in the comments and I’ll assign you a letter.

Meet the Cards: Judgement

Or in this case, AWAKENING. “Getting conscious” or awakening to a higher level of consciousness. Awakening is number twenty of the Major Arcana.

• Symbolism: Judgement and completion.
• Element: Fire (see Tarot Elements)

What I See:

According to the book, the structure is Newgrange which has a central chamber illuminated by the sun at dawn on the winter solstice, and gives me a sense of death and rebirth. The man is open while surrounded by community. The image screams Druids to me. I see a solstice celebration, a celebration of life, a renewal of spirit. Cranes are the Japanese symbol of honor and peace. The Lotus a Buddhist symbol of enlightenment and awakening. The swirls and circles show continuity and the rhythm of life. According to the book, that face looking down on the man is Kwan Yin, a goddess of compassion and mercy. The symbols on this card are amazing!

Light (upright) Reading:

An open heart lets go of judgments and criticisms.

• Keywords: Turning Point, Reformation, Rite of Passage, and Rebirth.

Shadow (upside down or reverse) Reading:

It may be difficult to let go of old beliefs, if only because they are familiar.

• Keywords: Judgmental, Regret, Disillusionment, and ‘Bad Karma.’

Plots:

Just the title of this card gives me ideas. Awakening. A coma patient waking up. Someone waking up in another time or place or in another body. Spiritual awakening. Someone finding faith. Or someone being initiated as a Druid or shaman.

How about the legend of whoever folds a thousand cranes is granted a wish? Perhaps a retelling of Kwan Yin, “She who hears the cries of the world.”

Newgrange and the swirls definitely point toward the Celts. You could explore ancient peoples of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. But don’t stop there, the Celtic civilization was bigger than the Roman one. (Kate Wood offers up posts on the Celts during her Tursan Tuesdays.)

• Themes: Personal Awakening, Peace, Think Globally and Act Locally, Liberation, Awareness, Rebirth, or Inner Calling.

Characters:

Emerge from darkness and open to life.

• Archetype: Herald, Liberator, Mystic, or Judge.

Heralds provide motivation, offer the hero a challenge, and get the story rolling. They alert the hero that change and adventure are coming. ~The Writers Journey by Christopher Vogler

• Mythical Figures: Kali, Phoenix, Archangel Michael, and Horus.

The personality enneagram, a nine-pointed array of personality types, might also be a useful reference for character building.

Judgement is E2: Helper and/or Giver

• Self Image — I help
• Passion — Pride
• Virtue — Freedom
• Narcissistic Trap — Service
• Avoids — Needs
• Speaking Style — Flattering or Advising

E2 people are relationship oriented. They are concerned with what others think of them, image and prestige. They see themselves as being for others and often believe they know what’s best. They dislike being alone and may feel sad or inadequate.

Additionally, look up one of the Fire signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) for personality traits.

When the Judgement card makes an appearance in your writing practice, it may be time to breathe new life into an old idea — one you thought was dead and gone. ~Tarot for Writers by Corrine Kenner

Image: Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert from Llewellyn Worldwide

Meet the Cards: Death

Death. Sadness. Release. What do you associate with that word? The Death card is number thirteen in the Major Arcana. Boy, the poor card can’t catch a break.

• Symbolism: Change and/or transition.
• Element: Water (see Tarot Elements)

What I See:

This card is very apropos for me at the moment. I see the sun glinting on the water, in Celtic traditions it’s often seen as a goddess manifestation called the White Lady. The Lady of the Lake anyone? I even get a sense of the Otherworld (Celtic) with the islands in the background. I think of Vikings placing their dead in a boat and sending them off. Does that broken boat mean the traveler made it? Or not? (Probably a story somewhere in the answer.) There is certainly a feeling of death with the decaying bird and the circling vulture. Yet, there is rebirth with the butterflies.

Light (upright) Reading:

Release what no longer serves and clear the space for new beginnings.

• Keywords: Transformation, Renewal, Cleansing, and Liberation.

Shadow (upside down or reverse) Reading:

Profound, permanent change may trigger intense fears of the unknown.

• Keywords: Obstinacy, Decay, Obsession, and Paranoia.

Plots:

How about the Phoenix, the bird that burns and is reborn of its ashes? A forest fire, which can destroy while purifying. Life after death. Or even a ghost. According to Kenner, the rising and setting of the sun symbolizes death and resurrection.

Water is the emotional element, perhaps your story focus is on “la petite mort” (the little death) of orgasm.

You can explore the number thirteen. The thirteen lunar months (full moons) of the year. The negative side, thirteen diners at the Last Supper. The positive side, thirteen in a baker’s dozen.

• Themes: Transformation, Physical Death, Conclusion, Rebirth, Ending, Transition, or Renewal.

Characters:

Standing at the gateway of life and death.

• Archetype: Death, Rebirth, Transformation, or Metamorphosis.

[Trickster archetypes] bring about healthy change and transformation, often by drawing attention to the imbalance or absurdity of a stagnant psychological situation. They are the natural enemies of the status quo. ~The Writers Journey by Christopher Vogler

• Mythical Figures: Hades, Pluto, Kali, and Hecate.

The personality enneagram, a nine-pointed array of personality types, might also be a useful reference for character building.

Death is E4: Tragic Romantic, Individualist, and/or Connoisseur

• Self Image — I am different
• Passion — Envy
• Virtue — Equanimity
• Narcissistic Trap — Authenticity
• Avoids — Ordinariness
• Speaking Style — Lyrical or Lamenting

E4 people are relationship oriented. They are concerned with what others think of them, image and prestige. They see themselves as being for others and often believe they know what’s best. They dislike being alone and may feel sad or inadequate.

Additionally, look up one of the Water signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces) for personality traits.

…the Death card can also remind you to eliminate words, phrases, scenes, and chapters that don’t move your story along. ~Tarot for Writers by Corrine Kenner

Image: Gaian Tarot by Joanna Powell Colbert from Llewellyn Worldwide