SPREAD: Our Purpose

If you saw my Thursday post, you will know that I simply adore Lissa Coffey’s work. She sends out daily emails that you can (and should) subscribe to. I love getting them.

She’s also trying to get a show on Oprah’s new network. I think she’d be a great addition. I know I’d tape her show for sure. You can vote for her here. You do have to register, but I’d really appreciate it if you would vote daily and spread the word as well. See the Thursday post for details on how to win this reading from me.

She sent out an email 6/23/2010 that was a bit different from her normal ones. This one was longer that most. I’ve read it several times. It hit me so deeply that I’ve designed a spread around it.

Our Purpose Spread (Lissa titled this email “Our Purpose” so I just kept that)

Lissa Coffey: When we talk about “purpose” I think that we each have our individual purpose – a reason why we’re here in this specific place and time – and that’s up to each of us to figure out for ourselves. And then generally, we all have the same purpose, which is three-fold:

Arwen: And don’t think that isn’t something I haven’t thought about. I mean…what a great thing it would be to know our purpose here in this lifetime, right? So when Lissa said it was the same for all of us, I got my nose a bit out of joint. HEY! I’m special, darn it.

Then I read what she said.

Lissa Coffey: 1. To learn and grow. It seems to be our natural instinct to progress in this way. We can’t grow backwards! We look for opportunities to better ourselves, and we find them in our relationships, in classes, in books. We practice behaviors that help us to understand who we are. We look within. Journaling is an example of a way for us to keep track of our thoughts, dreams and desires. It’s also a way that we can look back and see how far we’ve come. Spiritual growth is a strong desire, one that propels us forward.

Arwen: Oh. Okay. So this makes sense to me. So let’s pull three cards here to reflect on three places where we can find opportunities to learn and grow.

  • Opportunity to learn/grow 1: My card is the Builder. This is the Emperor in most decks. A man is focused on a pillar of wood. He is carving it into a thing of beauty. He understands that each piece can express beauty as well as function. I need to remember that. That I am a thing of beauty and I am vital in the support of my world, my work and my community.
  • Opportunity to learn/grow 2: Ouch! Bindweed shows up. This is the Devil of the Gaian Tarot. I must take care not to get so caught up in my own life that I forget to look outwards. And no being tempted to stray off the path of joy. That leads to being bound to the gossiping birds on the wire. I can’t let their energy feed into me.
  • Opportunity to learn/grow 3: Okay, what is this? A Major Arcana moment? The Hermit reminds me that to learn and grow I must take time out to do that. I can’t continue running my crazy, busy days and expect to have time for spiritual growth. So to move forward, I need some quiet time.

Synthesis: To move forward I must remember that I am a beautiful supporter of my own work. I need to move so I am not bound by the naysayers. Quiet time is vital for this progression.

Lissa Coffey: 2. To express ourselves and our unique gifts. We are not meant to sit in a shadow and be quiet. We have something to say, both literally and figuratively. So, just what are these unique gifts that we have to share with the world? It’s personal for each one of us. To find what this is for you, look at what you love to do. Look at where you love to spend your time. Look at what comes easily to you. There is your talent. Now share it! It takes all of us, and all of our varied and diverse talents, to make this world function.

Arwen: I think we all have more than one gift which is echoed here by Lissa since she refers to gifts plural. So here were another three cards.

  • My unique gift 1: Whee! The Sun tells me something I have heard from others. My joyful, sunny spirit is infectious and helps others. I need to remember to let my happiness shine.
  • My unique gift 2: The lovely Three of Earth makes me so happy. I see three friends gathering to share and laugh with one another. I have a gift for brining people together and getting them focused on the project at hand.
  • My unique gift 3: The High Priestess startled me and embarrassed me. I’ve been so far afield from my personal spirituality that it’s almost another lifetime. SHe reminds me that mysteries and arcane knowing are one of my gifts that I cannot shun. I need to continue with my Tarot work but also my work as a priestess of Wicca. I’ve not done my job for a while now.

Remember this is something you love. 🙂

Synthesis: My gifts are bringing joy and focus to others as a Tarot reader and a priestess also.

Lissa Coffey: 3. To help each other and serve. Many times this goes really well with the second part, and we can use our talent to help others. For example, my mother loves to crochet, and she can whip up a blanket in no time at all. She and a group of her friends at the Senior Center knit and crochet items for children in hospitals. And when they heard about our young soldiers in Iraq needing supplies, they put their sewing skills to good use and started making “cool ties” to send over in care packages. Helping feels good. It’s really a gift we give to ourselves. And we have so many chances everyday to really make a difference in the world. I started a page on CoffeyTalk.com called “Involvement Opportunities” that can give you ideas for places to start – and I’m sure there are opportunities right in your own neighborhood, too. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture, as the bumper sticker says: “Think Globally, Act Locally.” It all adds up to a better world.

Arwen: I really am pulled to this. I’ve been wanting to volunteer locally for a while. I do volunteer as president of the American Tarot Association. I also do volunteer work as a judge in writing contests. Sometimes it is easy to overlook where I do serve. Seems easier to put myself down about how I never do anything to help others. That’s the old Arwen. The new Arwen doesn’t go there…much.

  • Where can I help right now? The 8 of Earth just came up for me in another reading. We did a one card pull for “what do I need to consciously drum up in my life” and this was my answer. I see this as me learning and teaching both. I need to volunteer my skills where they can be best used. This is a community/Earth card for me. I see this as me getting involved in teaching more. When I pulled this today, I thought…literacy. It’s been on my mind for a while.
  • Where can I help locally? Wow. The 10 of Water is such a vivid card with the living salmon moving up stream but the dead carcasses of other salmon on the bank. This screams the oil spill to me. It’s not local as in I can get to the coast in about 3 hours, but I’ll bet I can find something here in Austin that is involved in this clean-up effort. Talk about literal!
  • Where can I help where it will make me feel the best? And another water card shows up. This is the 4 of Earth and a woman sits beside Glastonbury Well. It is thick with green algae. For me this screams “clean me out”. I think I will look for a local water feature that is in need of cleaning.

I don’t think it is a bad thing–that last question. It may sound selfish, but why? Is it wrong to do something to make ourselves feel better? Isn’t that part of living a joyful life?

Synthesis: Be a teacher and help educate folks on the BP spill.

Don’t forget to read the Thursday post to see how you can win this reading for yourself. And please! Do it for yourself as well. Let me know what you get. Seek joy, y’all.

DECK USED: Gaian Tarot Limited Edition

3 thoughts on “SPREAD: Our Purpose”

  1. well, that was certainly a challenging (to you) reading. I do hope you remember how much, through your readings, whether you are recompensed for them or not, you are helping people sort things out.

    1. Thank you, Trudy. I love to help others and it truly isn’t just about the money. It’s nice to make money doing this, but even if I couldn’t get paid, I’d still do readings.

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