Coffee & Tarot #2 – Collaborate

Yesterday, as I explained, I decided to start writing about the tarot cards I draw as part of my daily reflection/meditation practice. So here I am, surprising myself by actually writing another entry. Why surprising? Well, in my last few previous attempts to get back into blogging, I would start out with being all psyched and eager to get started. I’d write my first post and feel a sense of accomplishment and anticipation. I’d tell myself, “This is it; I’m going to do it this time…” And then the next day would roll around and I’d find my brain empty. Then the day after that one would arrive, and my brain would still have no words to pour onto the virtual page. So, there was a part of me that wondered if my creative writing brain bits would go MIA today. Did I set myself up for disappointment…. Again? I had no idea what to expect, but I knew it all started with my coffee and tarot.

I made my coffee, then sat down to draw my daily cards. I have a tiny space I’ve created that is dedicated specifically for my daily draws. It’s like a little meditation nook, where I keep my collection of cards and can sit comfortably if I actually want to meditate for reals. I love my tarot collection. I love some cards because of the art and others because of how they feel to shuffle. Certain decks I use more often than others, some decks I hardly use at all. Grabbing a deck that I haven’t used in a while is like getting reacquainted with an old friend. ANYway, today with coffee in hand, I sat down and picked two decks to draw from for today’s post. One of the decks, Wild Mystic, is fairly new to my collection and many of the cards I am not familiar with. The other deck I chose is one I use almost every single day, My Wisdom of the Oracle deck. 

“Wait, what? I thought she said she uses tarot cards, but now she’s saying oracle cards. What are oracle cards…” is a thought that might be crossing your mind right now. And if it is, now’s probably a good time to tell you I’m psychic. Haha. Just kidding. I’m not. It’s just a question I’ve had people ask me before. Because of this, I would like to take a moment to explain the difference between an oracle deck vs a tarot deck. For those of you who already know, feel free to skip ahead. 🙂

As I mentioned yesterday, I am by no means an expert on Tarot, but I am definitely a lover of it. Though I have read about its history, I can’t ramble off the timeline and evolution from its actual beginnings to what it is like now in the present. I know that back in the day, the cards were more like a playing card deck. I also know that most decks today are slightly tweaked versions of the Rider–Waite Tarot deck, a popular deck that was first published in 1909. The Rider-Waite has distinct cards that are divided into two sections, the Major Arcana (with 22 cards) and the Minor Arcana (with 56 cards). The Major Arcana cards are packed full of symbolism within the art, which help define the meanings of each card. The Minor Arcana is divided into four sections, much like playing cards. Each section is a different suit that represents a different aspect of life. And each suit has 14 cards. Tarot decks all pretty much follow this formula, though some creators of modern decks might tweak the card names and slightly alter the card meanings. 

Oracle decks, on the other hand, are pretty much a free-for-all. Anything goes. Some decks have inspirational messages, others use symbolism with an accompanying message, and some decks are more like a collection of art. Each oracle deck that I have in my collection are very different from each other and I love that about them. I look forward to being able to share some of my fun decks and geek out about what it is I love about them. But for today, I would like to share the two cards I drew earlier from this morning. 

Deck: Wild Mystic Oracle Card Deck

Pulled Card: Collaborate 

Interestingly enough, these cards go very well together. And no, I didn’t plan it that way. I love synchronicities!  Both of these cards deal with connection. 

I have pulled the Leg Up card many times and it is actually one of my favorites in the deck. When I pull this card, I think about relationships and the interaction between two (or more) people. The other card I pulled, The Ant – Collaborate, is a new card to me. The message, however, is much like the Leg Up card, in that it talks about relationships and how we rely on one another. 

When I pondered these two cards today, I thought about relationships, connection, and relying on one another in healthy ways. There is so much information out there that talks about codependency, I think some people overcorrect and run the other way and try to become totally independent. And by some people, I mean me. I’m some people. Actually, I’m pretty sure I’ve been both of these people at various times in my life. Now a days I really try hard to find that healthy middle ground. Which is why I enjoy the reminder that it’s okay to rely on people. A person can be whole and complete and meet up with another person who is also whole and complete…. And guess what? Two whole and complete people are still stronger together, than apart. Kind of like ants, but taller. Yes, yes, that might seem like a strange analogy, until you remember that one of the cards that I pulled is the Ant Card. The ant card references how ants work together and collaborate. Anyone who has ever witnessed a bunch of ants moving a piece of popcorn across a kitchen floor can attest to how coordinated and smoothly they operate, while accomplishing something that would have been impossible for one of them to do by itself. And because of that, they get popcorn for dinner. And yes, that was oddly specific… It’s because while writing this I’m having flashbacks of living that ant scenario over and over in my old apartment. They had a thing for popcorn, as did I. 

My takeaway from a day spent pondering these two cards is that it’s okay to ask for help. It’s okay to rely on other people, even if at times it feels like a vulnerable thing to do. Interdependence allows for connection that has a give and take, which helps to make relationships stronger and more meaningful. There is a real sense of belonging that results from the polarity of give and take, when exchanged in a healthy way.

I saw this graphic and thought it went well with this blog post. If you’ve never checked out The Holistic Psychologist, give it a look. There is a lot of great stuff in their blog.