Every so often, I find myself retreating back into my cave. I do it most when there are many things going on at once in my life. When the external forces surrounding me and the internal forces within me become so overwhelming that I lose balance and forget where my center is. I'm not sure if anyone for sure knows what is supposed to be done in these times, as I'm sure it varies for all, but I do know that these times bring introspection, confusion, and chaos. With those three things going on, I think it's hard to make decisions. People say to wait out the storm, but what happens when it's a long one? When it's so turbulent that focus and motivation seem to be lacking, what does one do?
In the ancient tarot deck, there is a card called "Temperance". What this card means (And there are many detailed interpretations) is there is most likely a need for balance and patience. There is an aspect of experimentation with the card, and of having compassion for yourself and the delicate process of transformation and change that you're most likely struggling with. When I think about the words "to temper", I think about rapid change from hot to cold. I think about bringing two opposites together to join or coexist, in an observatory way. When you experiment, you are in a state of observation, of stepping back and removing your human beliefs from the process, and simply observing. This is why when there are many different things going on at once in life, it makes sense to step back, observe, and figure out how to achieve balance. If I take myself out of the equation, release my own fears and human stresses, and simply observe with an open mind and compassionate perspective, maybe this is where a new perspective can take place.
So to answer the question of, "When it is so turbulent that focus and motivation seem to be lacking, what does one do?" I think that stepping out of the problem and just observing really helps. Looking at the temperance card in the ancient tarot deck as well (Side note - Temperance is also one of the virtues of the seven deadly sins) I find a key ingredient. Compassion. Having compassion for yourself while you find your center and reconfigure your life a little bit is very important. As artists we can be highly critical of ourselves, and I think these are the moments where we learn not to be. Being critical is healthy to a certain extent, obviously you want to be the best version of yourself and continue to grow, and that means making judgements about situations and making decisions about what is right for you, you need to think critically in order to do so. However I believe that having compassion for yourself and everything that you're doing will be invaluable to moving forward in life. Life is hard! Let's be honest, and some days just getting out of bed can be a great accomplishment!
I hope whoever this post finds, got the help they were looking for, or found a little light of hope.
Remember to have compassion for yourself, you're human.
- Jordan
Post a Comment