Sunday, January 29, 2017

This Week's Writerly Tarot: The Lovers

"At the touch of love, everyone becomes a poet."
Plato

It's the first time The Lovers have made an appearance in the Writerly Tarot. I am happy to see them. It's that time of year when the trees are bare, the wind keen, and the heart looks for warmth, especially in companionship. This card certainly fulfills that promise.

There is the angelic blessing that reminds us of Judgment and Temperance, the radiance and power of The Sun, and the romantic pair that we see in the Two of Cups, This is the higher octave of that card here, a love that is more than romantic, bigger than just two. The unconditional perfect love of the Universe.

So what does that have to do with our creative lives? It's a good question. And the answer is that even though this card is very hearts and flowers, it's less about the feeling and more about how we act on that feeling. The heart of The Lovers is choice, for like love itself, it requires commitment.

You see where I'm going with this, don't you?

Your creativity requires commitment as well. You must make the choice to put yourself in the seat, open the document, do the research. You must choose your art over your TV, or your Facebook, or that complete veg-out on the sofa. Such choices are not sexy. But then few things about being deliberate with our work hold up to our fantasies.

My imaginary writer life always included a mountain cabin, endless stretches of time, the silence broken only by songbirds and a babbling brook at my back door. My reality is typing with one finger while I eat breakfast. Sweatpants and bedhead and trying to finish a scene before I have to clean up the dog sick from the tummy-aching Maltese. Nothing sexy whatsoever.

And yet, these are moments hallowed by my choice. They glow as if caught in the light of the rising sun, as if blessed by a celestial presence. This week, be intentional as you come to your work. Choose it deliberately, as you would a lover. Honor it with your presence. I guarantee you it will return the favor.


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