Nurturing Strength of Spirit
Those who know me are aware of my sincere appreciation for the prose poem Desiderata, written by Max Ehrmann in 1927.
My grandmother found so much strength and grace in Desiderata that she always kept printed copies to give to people whom she felt might benefit from it. This poem was a kind of sacred text for my family, and it remains so for me.
That’s the thing about sacred text. Sacred text can be a work that is universally heralded as a holy book, but it can also be any book, poem, song, or story that gives you strength, wisdom, and inspiration.
The passage I have been focused on this week is the first sentence of the eighth paragraph. The line is “Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.” Though only ten words, there is so much to unpack in this one sentence.
People often want their spiritually (no matter their tradition or belief system) to be transactional and reciprocal. They want to think that if they perform certain rituals, believe certain things, or say certain prayers, they will immunize themselves against misfortune.
Then, when misfortune inevitably strikes, they feel abandoned. They wonder what they have done wrong, or if their faith was misplaced.
The purpose of spiritual faith is not to shield us against misfortune. As I see it, Ehrmann said it perfectly when he said that our strength of spirit is to shield in the face of misfortune.
Spiritually doesn’t prevent bad things. Spiritually can give us comfort, meaning, solace, purpose, and understanding when bad things happen.
How, then, can we nurture strength of spirit?
This is a very personal thing. It is a question we can all meditate upon and ask in our divinations. Many of us nurture strength of spirit by reading sacred texts, by honoring spiritual traditions and practices, and by enjoying the natural world and creativity.
What does strength of spirit look like? I think strength of spirit can be the ability to hold space for sorrow and joy in the same moment. Strength of spirit can be resilience, and the ability to have hope even in difficult times. Strength of spirit can help us find beauty and gratitude even in the smallest things. Strength of spirit can urge us to find meaning in suffering. Strength of spirit allows us to have compassion for others even when we ourselves are in difficulty. Strength of spirit helps us to know that tomorrow can always be a better day.
The StaarCorner
The AfterGlow closes on February 21 at 7 pm ET. If you have a StaarCon 2023 ticket, make sure you enjoy as many replays and lounge events as you can before then.
After that, remember to join us all year on Facebook in our private community group.
Mark your calendar now for StaarCon 2024, January 19-21. Plan to join us in person in West Palm Beach or online!
Helpful Questions for Difficult Times
When we are going through difficulty, we often read for ourselves, or ask others to read for us. There is great comfort and wisdom to be found in divination. So often, though, we focus on the outcome, wanting to know how things will turn out. Sometimes divination can give us answers that give us hope. Sometimes, though, the outcome is not what we most need to know.
When we are doing a reading, either for self or for someone else, sometimes the best questions are about what is happening now, rather than what will happen. Sometimes the best questions are worded to allow our divination to help us find our strength of spirit.
What do I need to know about this situation?
What is the best thing for me to do right now?
What can help me during this difficult time?
What can I learn from this?
How can I recover from this?
How can I ask for help at this time?
How can I help others at this time?
What does spirit want me to know about this difficulty?
The Week in Review
This week I shared a blogpost that offers an insightful tarot reading technique. Read “Backing into a Delicate Reading”.
Tonight on my YouTube channel we have a members-only livestream at 7 pm ET. If you are a member, please plan to join us. If you are not a member, please consider joining!
From Around the Web
Read the original text of Desiderata. Read it several times. Think about it. See what wisdom it evokes within you.
Ethony has some advice on how to use tarot to get through hard times.
We are half-way through the month of February. Let’s see what Theresa Reed had to say about the astrology of this month, and see how things are evolving for you!
Creation and Divination
There are so many ways to combine creativity with divination. If you have a favorite way, or if you have created something you want to share, please email me. I would love to share your ideas and creations in this column!
When I think about nurturing strength of spirit, I think immediately of Major Arcana 8, Strength. One of the things I love about this card is that it clearly illustrates that physical force is not the greatest strength. The woman tames the lion with love, with gentleness, and with patience.
The Smith-Waite image shows the woman’s hand in the lion’s mouth. I think about this often. It seems a dangerous place to put your hand. To me this illustrates the basic nature of life; that there is nothing of value that doesn’t incur risk.
Here is a poem I wrote about the Strength card.
Strength
As water with patience carves into stone
So do hearts carve one on the other.
And when nature battles civility
New friends are drawn together.
Each has more reason to fear than to love
The dangers beckon, not understated.
This war is waged not with bullets but blooms
And fine compassion, communicated.
The gentle maiden must be of mind fierce.
She has enraptured a fierce jungle king.
The beast submits not by violence but choice
To a union of forces opposing.
Strength then is found not in warfare or blood
Nor in doctrine nor laws to rely on.
True strength is found in faith and control
With your hand in the mouth of a lion.
Upcoming Events
Card and Craft Academy
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Christiana’s Candle Magick
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Finding Meaning in the Minor Arcana
The Major Arcana, Magical and Mundane
Practical Tarot Techniques
Psychic Tarot
Personal Tarot: Reading for Yourself
Sharing Wisdom: Reading for Others
The Meaning and Magic of Tarot Reversals
Journey Through the Major Arcana
Your Journey Through the Minor Arcana: Numbers, Elements and Truth
Tarot Beyond the Veil
Your Journey Through the Tarot Court
Tarot Stories, Trends, and Blends
Tarot Readings for Personalities and Relationships
Clarity in Every Tarot Card
Tarot Flow Workshop
Making Magick with Tarot
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Weaving the Tarot Reading Story
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Personal Healing with Tarot
Create and Interpret Custom Tarot Spreads
What the Court Cards Want You to Know
How Spirit Speaks Through Tarot
Catch up on your missed Zoom webinars and more!
About Christiana Gaudet
Card and Craft, Inc.
Southeastern Tarot Artists and Readers, LLC.
Christiana Gaudet
3559 SW Corporate Parkway
Palm City, Florida 34990-8152
Email cgaudet@cardandcraft.com
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Tarot Topics Newsletter
Volume 6 Issue 7
February 15, 2023