Bowls, Bodies & Bridges

I created this spread for the Litha Tarot Blog Hop on the 21st of June, 2012. Today, I do the spread to show you how it works.

Arwen’s Bridge Spread

Pick something you loathe. Let’s say “I need to lose weight.” Replace it with a word or a phrase you like. Let’s say Rethinking How I Eat.” Now lay three cards out.

1. The middle card is the one you turn over last.
2. Turn over the “bad” phrase card. Journal about why this card hits you in all the bad spots around this idea. Let yourself go. Don’t edit. Try to write for at least ten minutes.
3. Turn over the “good” phrase card. As above, journal why this emphasizes the good. Let yourself go. Don’t edit. Try to write for at least ten minutes. (Is it me or is there an echo in here?)
4. Now turn over the middle card. This is the bridge card. It shows you how you can move from the “ick ew I hate that” space to the “empowered Goddess of everything” space. Now journal. This time write down specific steps, action points, mantras. Let yourself go. Don’t edit. Try to write for at least ten minutes. (Yeah, there’s definitely an echo in here.)

My loathe it statement was “I need to lose weight” and I got the Three of Water. That made me laugh in that “oh shit” way. That’s my “seek joy, y’all” card. I mean right there…staring me in the face. Those three happy otters. And this what I loathe about the phrase losing weight? WTH, Universe? Then I realized it was about indulging myself in the wrong things. I feel as if my joy is being curtailed when I think about dieting.

I have a skinny sister. I actually have two. They are both these beautiful, confident women who dress amazing and lead amazing lives. I used to compare myself very unfavorably to them. I got over that. But apparently my diet phobia (ha! diet phobia…the fear of denying myself something I just want) still hinges a bit on them. I’ll never be as skinny as those two. I can dress as amazingly as long as I stick to my style. And I know I lead an amazing life. But this card just shouts about me feeling denied by dieting. I have to…no wait. I can’t do that yet. I have to keep wriring for another three minutes. Ugh. Why did I set that stupid time limit? Limits. I don’t like limits. I don’t like ones that limit me…oh like dieting and losing weight and limiting how I see myself to the silhouettes of my two sisters.

Huh. I think I just hit on something. My sisters are not all up in my face about my weight. I am. One of my sisters has helped me with how to eat better but she’s never said, “Arwen, you are a cow. Lose some weight.” So I’m being a big ol’ ID ID ID kid. (Id as in id,ego, superego). I’m so caught up in thinking I’m so fat I shouldn’t even try.

Or was. Am I still? I must be if it hits so hard.

YAY! Ten minutes is up. Next card.

For the good phrase, “I’m rethinking how I eat”, I got the Five of Water. Hey Universe, do you think you got these two cards mixed up? DO YA? . sigh. The woman sits with an EMPTY bowl next to a huge lake. She can fill that bowl at any time. Oh. She can fill that bowl at any time but she chooses not to. That’s actually true of me with this new Radiant Goddess thing I’m doing. I don’t fill my bowl every time I think I’m hungry. I drink water instead. I drink a lot of water. I am not really hungry sometimes so much as thirsty.

And my hunger can also be a manifestation of my emptiness. I know, right? The professional joy seeker admits to feeling empty sometimes? Call the newspaper! Arwen isn’t always joyful. No, I’m not. But I am always seeking joy which is why I can poke fun at myself like this. And it does make me joyful to realize that the good card for the bad phrase next to the bad card for the good phrase are both water cards. We are talking about my emotional eating.

I know. I wasn’t that surprised either. I think I’ll focus on the Five of Water energy as waiting to make sure I’m feeding the right part of myself when I do feel hungry. Sometimes food isn’t what will sustain me. Whew. That ten minutes was easier.

And my last card is the 10 of Earth. Joanna uses the tenth card in each suit as a card of completion. That cycle is done. Time to move on to the next one. Her dad and his dog walk down a gorgeous trail in the forest heading for a clearing up ahead. My bridge card tells me that:

1. I can let go of my comparisons because they aren’t serving me. They aren’t authentic. They are old habits I cling to in order to avoid moving on into a healthier life.
2. I will drink more water.
3. I will not eat the moment I think I’m hungry. I will check in with myself on spiritual/emotional/physical levels to see what is truly feeling under-nourished.
4. I am a radiant Goddess. I eat what to sustain my spirit in a nurturing, healthy way.
5. I hula hoop for joy.
6. I walk for joy.
7. I burn it up on the treadmill for joy.
8. I find time to cook healthy meals.
9. I don’t beat myself up when I can’t find time for healthy meals. I just get back on track as soon as I can.

So, that’s my Bridge spread. What’s your personal “YUCK”? What do you want it to be? What’s the bridge you need to cross?

Don’t want to do this by yourself? Want some guidance? Book a reading with me today and we can do this one together.

Images from the Gaian Tarot, published by Joanna Powell Colbert, Limited Edition