lalalibra
"Doing Your Own Thing" Personal Truth Spread by lalalibra
Knowing who you are is the key to staying true to who you are.
I wrote this spread for the purpose of understanding the dynamic between one's individuality and environment. It can help you to identify potential pressures that are posed by the surrounding environment (such as in what you have been directly or indirectly taught to believe in general or in relation to your specific situation/question) versus what your own instincts are telling you about what is right or wrong.
Understanding ourselves and/or certain issues/situations that we currently face may involve becoming more aware of certain ideals or expectations --- such as the pressures of who you are "supposed" to be, how you are "supposed" to think or feel, what is the "right" thing or the "normal" thing or the "smart" thing to do, etc...
Whether or not these expectations are expressed in a subtle way, our environment is bound to have made an impact on who we are today in how we've responded to whatever ideas we've been exposed to; whether we've come to identify with them or resist them, and whether we've done so consciously or unconsciously...
When you identify the expectations that others have placed upon you (and maybe even the expectations that you've placed upon yourself!), you may examine whether or not you truly agree with them. And if not, then you may find the opportunity to liberate yourself from that which isn't true to you as the unique individual that you are. You can go your own way and "do your own thing."
This spread is not meant to tell you the final answer of what is actually "right" or actually "wrong," but it can help you to explore these ideas for yourself in a deeper way, and with that understanding, you may set your own standards apart from others' opinions or expectations. And this is as it should be, for the Tarot does not instruct you how to think, how to feel, or how to act; rather, it can help you to explore different sides of the issue and help you decide all those things for yourself.
What you truly desire may challenge your environment. Or it may simply challenge your past ways of being. In becoming more aware of the relationship between these factors and what you really think or feel, it may help to prepare you to stay strong in doing what you ultimately know is right.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
***Notes on spread positions, possible modifications, and suggestions for interpretation...
~~ It's quite usual for each of us to have a wide range of outside influences, and they may differ/conflict with one other. And so "my environment" is, in that case, rather broad of a term in reference to other people. It can be a whole group, or it can even be just one other person. Keeping it general may be preferable to you, but if not, then what you can do is to specify or break up this category into more specific groups as you see fit (ie. society as a whole, the media, spouse, family, friends, neighbors, workplace, boss, coworkers, school, church, etc.).
~~ Our environment is not necessarily a negative influence. It isn't necessarily destructive towards our individuality... Or, it may very well be, but if so, your environment is not necessarily conscious of that effect (such as how positive intentions do not always necessarily manifest in actually positive or efficient ways)... Or, on the other hand, your environment may actually know exactly what is best for you, and you may be resisting it. It all depends on the actual context and the level of honesty in your assessment.
~~ Also, sometimes the question of "what is right?" can, hypothetically, by itself answer the question of "what is wrong?" IF they are indeed opposites. If you would prefer to use less cards, then you may choose to omit one of these "right" or "wrong" categories under the assumption that one will sufficiently speak for the other. However, using both may be more specific and insightful in, for example, showing how these messages of "right" or "wrong" may actually contradict each other in the form of conflicting interests or mixed messages.
~~ And lastly, in exploring our "gut instinct," it is important to consider how our emotions tend to move far more quickly than our thoughts do. We may confuse them as being the same thing. Or, perhaps they really are in agreement. It's true that our emotions may point us in the direction of following intuition or guidance... On the other hand, our emotions can also be fearful, impulsive, irrational, undiplomatic, impure, and/or limiting once we honestly check in with ourselves. Our gut instincts may not be true to who we are if it's roots stem from a limiting belief which we've likely internalized in coping with our environment rather than tuning into the pure sincerity of our heart's desire... But even a "misleading" thought or emotion has it's use if, like a rung on a ladder, we come to recognize and understand it well enough to rise above it and climb to new heights.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from / I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately / All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind / I'm tired of looking 'round rooms wondering what I've got to do or who I'm supposed to be / I don't want to be anything other than me" ~Gavin DeGraw
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Doing Your Own Thing" Personal Truth Spread by lalalibra
..........1...2.........3...4..........
..........5 / 6.........7 / 8..........
....................9....................
...............10.....11...............
1.) What is "right" according to my environment?
2.) What is "wrong" according to my environment?
3.) What is "right" according to my gut instinct?
4.) What is "wrong" according to my gut instinct?
5.) What have I taken in from my experience? What have I internalized?
6.) ...Why? What is the cause/reason (whether conscious or unconscious) for this [Card #5]?
7.) What have I refused or resisted to fully process or acknowledge?
8.) ...Why? What is the cause/reason (whether conscious or unconscious) for this [Card #7]?
9.) What freedom do I truly desire deep down?
10.) How does the freedom that I desire compare with my current environment?
11.) How does the freedom that I desire compare with my gut instinct?
Knowing who you are is the key to staying true to who you are.
I wrote this spread for the purpose of understanding the dynamic between one's individuality and environment. It can help you to identify potential pressures that are posed by the surrounding environment (such as in what you have been directly or indirectly taught to believe in general or in relation to your specific situation/question) versus what your own instincts are telling you about what is right or wrong.
Understanding ourselves and/or certain issues/situations that we currently face may involve becoming more aware of certain ideals or expectations --- such as the pressures of who you are "supposed" to be, how you are "supposed" to think or feel, what is the "right" thing or the "normal" thing or the "smart" thing to do, etc...
Whether or not these expectations are expressed in a subtle way, our environment is bound to have made an impact on who we are today in how we've responded to whatever ideas we've been exposed to; whether we've come to identify with them or resist them, and whether we've done so consciously or unconsciously...
When you identify the expectations that others have placed upon you (and maybe even the expectations that you've placed upon yourself!), you may examine whether or not you truly agree with them. And if not, then you may find the opportunity to liberate yourself from that which isn't true to you as the unique individual that you are. You can go your own way and "do your own thing."
This spread is not meant to tell you the final answer of what is actually "right" or actually "wrong," but it can help you to explore these ideas for yourself in a deeper way, and with that understanding, you may set your own standards apart from others' opinions or expectations. And this is as it should be, for the Tarot does not instruct you how to think, how to feel, or how to act; rather, it can help you to explore different sides of the issue and help you decide all those things for yourself.
What you truly desire may challenge your environment. Or it may simply challenge your past ways of being. In becoming more aware of the relationship between these factors and what you really think or feel, it may help to prepare you to stay strong in doing what you ultimately know is right.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
***Notes on spread positions, possible modifications, and suggestions for interpretation...
~~ It's quite usual for each of us to have a wide range of outside influences, and they may differ/conflict with one other. And so "my environment" is, in that case, rather broad of a term in reference to other people. It can be a whole group, or it can even be just one other person. Keeping it general may be preferable to you, but if not, then what you can do is to specify or break up this category into more specific groups as you see fit (ie. society as a whole, the media, spouse, family, friends, neighbors, workplace, boss, coworkers, school, church, etc.).
~~ Our environment is not necessarily a negative influence. It isn't necessarily destructive towards our individuality... Or, it may very well be, but if so, your environment is not necessarily conscious of that effect (such as how positive intentions do not always necessarily manifest in actually positive or efficient ways)... Or, on the other hand, your environment may actually know exactly what is best for you, and you may be resisting it. It all depends on the actual context and the level of honesty in your assessment.
~~ Also, sometimes the question of "what is right?" can, hypothetically, by itself answer the question of "what is wrong?" IF they are indeed opposites. If you would prefer to use less cards, then you may choose to omit one of these "right" or "wrong" categories under the assumption that one will sufficiently speak for the other. However, using both may be more specific and insightful in, for example, showing how these messages of "right" or "wrong" may actually contradict each other in the form of conflicting interests or mixed messages.
~~ And lastly, in exploring our "gut instinct," it is important to consider how our emotions tend to move far more quickly than our thoughts do. We may confuse them as being the same thing. Or, perhaps they really are in agreement. It's true that our emotions may point us in the direction of following intuition or guidance... On the other hand, our emotions can also be fearful, impulsive, irrational, undiplomatic, impure, and/or limiting once we honestly check in with ourselves. Our gut instincts may not be true to who we are if it's roots stem from a limiting belief which we've likely internalized in coping with our environment rather than tuning into the pure sincerity of our heart's desire... But even a "misleading" thought or emotion has it's use if, like a rung on a ladder, we come to recognize and understand it well enough to rise above it and climb to new heights.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Part of where I'm going is knowing where I'm coming from / I don't want to be anything other than what I've been trying to be lately / All I have to do is think of me and I have peace of mind / I'm tired of looking 'round rooms wondering what I've got to do or who I'm supposed to be / I don't want to be anything other than me" ~Gavin DeGraw
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Doing Your Own Thing" Personal Truth Spread by lalalibra
..........1...2.........3...4..........
..........5 / 6.........7 / 8..........
....................9....................
...............10.....11...............
1.) What is "right" according to my environment?
2.) What is "wrong" according to my environment?
3.) What is "right" according to my gut instinct?
4.) What is "wrong" according to my gut instinct?
5.) What have I taken in from my experience? What have I internalized?
6.) ...Why? What is the cause/reason (whether conscious or unconscious) for this [Card #5]?
7.) What have I refused or resisted to fully process or acknowledge?
8.) ...Why? What is the cause/reason (whether conscious or unconscious) for this [Card #7]?
9.) What freedom do I truly desire deep down?
10.) How does the freedom that I desire compare with my current environment?
11.) How does the freedom that I desire compare with my gut instinct?