Reinvention

Recently, I had to stop running during a hundred-mile trail race in Georgia. It is never a good thing to not finish, but to be ground to a halt by a nagging injury can be discouraging. When faced with any obstacle in life's path, I always look for an accompanying message or inherent lesson, trusting that the universe always, always, always finds a way to get our attention to help us grow. We need only pay attention to the signs. In this instance, I knew the message was that it was time to once again shift gears and reinvent myself in a new image and in a new direction. It was time to take my focus off of running races, and shift to other priorities.

For a long time, I have entertained the notion of shifting my lifestyle away from competitive running to spend my energy on other interests. I need not stop my passion for running... just racing, which diverts a lot of my focus and personal energy away from other opportunities for growth and expression. Without second guessing myself, I often turn to methods of divination for confirmation of imminent shifts of energy and direction that come calling in my life. This time I turned to Tarot cards and Nordic Runes.

Some, perhaps, most, give little credibility to such mystical practices that have come down to us from antiquity. I have learned to trust these tools as just another useful way to communicate with the intent of the world around us, however. They are a mirror that most often reflect that which we may be reluctant to acknowledge in ourselves. Always affirming, I return to them time and again for valuable counsel and confirmation.

I randomly drew a six-card spread of Tarot cards and a three-stone spread of Runes and let the universe speak. The first Tarot card drawn is a reflection of how you feel about yourself. I drew the Fool, which is a symbol of new beginnings and exciting journeys. The card serves as a reminder that it is indeed time to reinvent myself and try new things. The Fool in the picture above stands ready to take a leap off a cliff; reinvention is never easy, but demands considerable faith that however you land, you will land on your feet.

The second card drawn reminds me of what I want most at this particular moment in my life. I drew the Moon card, a powerful guide which remindis me that there are earthly struggles in my life that serve to distract me from pursuing greater celestial powers. I interpret this as my racing lifestyle (perhaps it is even more). I wish very much to take more time to tune into my own inner guidance, channel the subtle powers of the moon, and further connect with the divine.

The first Nordic Rune I drew clarifies my current situation. I drew the rune Isa, which represents a standstill in life, an impediment, or ice. I have been reading runes since the 1970's and find they are a most reliable counsel in times of uncertainty. Isa relates that my spiritual progress has stalled and that the only way forward out of this spiritual winter may be to submit, surrender, or sacrifice some long-held habit or desire. My racing??? I find myself in a period of gestation that precedes a rebirth. Things are on hold until I sacrifice something personal – the “I”??? The message is to submit and be still, especially during these difficult times where conditions seem beyond anyone's ability to control. The seed of the new lies dormant in the shell of the old. I am reminded to trust the process, trust the universe, and be patient for signs of spring.

The third Tarot card drawn represents that which I may fear. I drew the Devil card, which by no means represents inherent evil. Rather, it represents the things that can hold us back. The Devil card is associated with ego, error, or addiction. We all fear our own flaws. Perhaps I have always had an addiction to competition; perhaps it has been a tool that has outlived its usefulness, to prop up my ego in the way I desire to be seen in the world. Fears are useful, for they are the foundation for action against whatever it may be that holds us back. The small voice in my head has for a long time whispered that my racing “addiction” may be holding me back from expanded opportunities and expression. A big part of me no longer wants to identify as being one who races, but there is still great hesitancy in letting go.

The fourth Tarot card represents what I have going for me. Drawing a powerful card in the Magician, I am reminded that everything I need is already at my disposal. My life is a garden which I may must cultivate carefully to bloom and grow. It reminds me that I have the ability to think in a high-minded fashion while still keeping my feet on the ground. It is reassuring to be reminded that I have great power all around me and need only take more time to learn how to use it.

The fifth Tarot card reminds me of that which may stand against me. I drew the Justice card, which serves to remind me that serious rectification is necessary in some area of my life. Justice is calling upon me to examine my karma and right those areas that may be out of balance.

So what action is necessary at this time. I turn to the second stone of the Runes – Uruz, Reversed, a symbol of strength and manhood. The message is that my own strength may indeed be working against me. This rune reversed serves as an alert to pay attention to minor failures and disappointments. My recent aborted race??? It calls for a serious examination of the quality of my relationship to my Self and serves to remind us of the cycle of things: All things come to an end, always to be followed by a new beginning. Do not draw back from the edge, but make the leap.

That brings us to the outcome foreseen, the point of both the sixth Tarot card and the final stone of Runes. I drew the Strength card from the Tarot deck, which is all about bravery and patience. Though I am facing a personal struggle at the moment, the message is that a gentle approach and long-suffering patience will help me tame the instinctive urges of my animal nature – my physical expression – and see me through. The final Rune drawn was Othila, Reversed, the stone of retreat or separation. The warning here is that I take greater pains not to pretend to be unaware. This is not a time to be bound by old conditioning or old authority. It is important to go with what feels right and good, and act according to the Light within that shows me the way. A radical departure from old ways is called for; total honesty is required. Flow is the proper attitude at this time. The universe has given me a sign with my injured knees; it has given me the sign I needed to begin to strike a new course.