Rising above adversity

When the cards can help you with grief.

NB. This post was drafted in March but I delayed sharing it until the initial emotions have passed and it feels less vulnerable.

I drew this card a few days on the 3rd anniversary of my Dad’s death. I didn’t immediately realise the date when I woke up and I went about my morning routine as usual. I did a little bit of journaling around the Six of Wands and the usual messaging of celebrating victory or success.

It was only when the family WhatsApp group woke up and began messaging that it hit me, but to be honest I have never been one to dwell on the exact date. Grief is a weird, strangely timeless thing and I would rather not remember the date that everything suddenly changed for us. That whole period of time in March-April 2022 is a total blur and even now I don’t think I could reliably tell you what day his funeral was without having to go and look it up.

Rather than focusing on specific dates and memorialising them I’d rather remember my Dad for the amazing person he was, every day. Because he is still with me in my memories, every day. And those memories thankfully eclipse those of that spring day, I see no reason to dwell on them.

When I drew this card I was struck, as ever by the beautiful symbolism of the blue butterfly rising above the tangled and confusing jumble of sticks (wands) beneath it. Making the point that we rise above our difficulties every day in ways that are too numerous to mention. Some might call it being brave but I prefer to think of it as simply being human.

We don’t really have a choice, unless we just want to sit down and give up. We just have to pick ourselves up every single day and rise anew - much as the butterfly does.

We often talk about rising to the challenge. But this card speaks to something significantly different - of rising above the challenge. Of picking ourselves up out of the weeds and the tangle of earthly messiness and soaring high above it.

The butterfly also adds the other dimension to this card which is that life is short, some might say fleeting and that we very literally have to seize the day. Life is way too short to spend it down in the dark weeds of negativity and turmoil. We can choose to dwell in this anger-filled place or we can soar upwards, looking for the light.

I know where I would rather be.

30 day challenge

In something of a personal challenge to myself - having fallen off the daily journaling wagon recently - I am committing to completing my 30-day Tarot Challenge during May.

If you would like to join me you would be very welcome indeed in whatever capacity you feel able to do. If you would like some structure - and a bit of gentle accountability I will be using my guided 30-day journal (you can pick up a copy for just £7) at the link below.

It is designed to be printed out and filled in with one sheet each day, plus a handy tracker at the back. I’m a great believer in the power of putting pen to paper when it comes to giving our intuition free rein.

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