No worries about lateness. I've been away from AT most of the day anyways. Thank you for the feedback. I'm glad that the reading was of use to you.
I'm laying out the cards you've drawn as well.
Card 1: The Situation: The Dreaming (63)
I guess this is the perfect card to show up for a situation which involves a creative project of some kind. There is so much going on in this card that the possibilities and potentials are combinations are endless. The human figure (?) at the centre of the card is touched by a muse (the faery in white) and her imagination is set afire with all the stories and tales that she might wish to conjure and explore. There is even a little guy at the bottom right who holds a book of as yet unwritten pages that will be filled with the fantasies of the dreamer. The thorns and brambles which coil around the dreamer suggest to me that the way ahead for this project is no easy stroll and that it will involve engagement and commitment if it is to blossom in all its potential, but it would seem that the stage and the characters who will walk into and out of the different scenes are beginning to gather. I am mindful also, from this image that time might play an important role or be an important factor in the mix since one of the creatures (at top right) holds a dandelion clock whose seeds are fragile and will soon be blown away by the winds. If there is an imperative in this card it is perhaps: Don't just dream it and let the opportunity slip away…
This makes sense for me. Right now, while I've gotten the main cast down and the basic premise, there's so many directions I could take it in between. And your last line is particularly interesting to me, as I have a set time frame I intent to get this done in, and even more, the original inspiration for this started with a strange dream I had one night.
Card 2: What Hinders: The Lady of Song (42)
The 'dreamer' in the previous card looks (even though her eyes are closed!) towards the right and might be said to be future oriented. The Lady of Song looks stolidly backwards and it is as if her wigs form a barrier which blocks the way onwards. The Lady of Song is also sitting upon another creature's head and hindering its vision (and quite possibly hampering its movement). All of this seems to indicate something which is holding you back. In the position of something which hinders, this should not really be a surprising image. I think the Lady of Song might indicate distraction. She sings from a different sheet of music and is urging a different path. There is a small star in the night sky at the top left and setting the first two cards side by side it seems that both the main figures on the two cards are yearning for what the star might represent. For the moment, at least, the star seems closer to the Lady of Song and she seems to have the major claim. This makes me wonder if there are things around you which not only distract you, but may even be duties or demands which prevent you from devoting the time you need to follow your 'dream' towards your writing goal. The Lady of Song's card is also much more sparse than that of the 'dreamer' which is jam-packed full of ideas. Perhaps a decluttering and simpler and sharper focus is called for - and the hindrance that you face is just an overload of much too much and more that prevents further movement. Ultimately a 'song' is a simpler tale…so I wonder perhaps if you need to pare things down a little...
I can say I'm definitely prone to distractions, but there is something major coming up that will likely take up a good portion of my time. It's very likely my girlfriend will be moving in with me in the very near future, and that'll tie up a good portion of time getting everything settled in, changing some things over, etc. That'll be taking up a lot of free time. Though the second thing you mention also resonates with me. I've been debating over whether or not to let some subplots I've been planning be cut, as they might start to take away from the focus. Tossing out some ideas and refining the rest would be useful at the present, before I get really into the project and have entire section to rewrite just to do the same. Best to figure out now what parts are the most important. This definitely makes sense to me, from either angle.
Card 3: What Helps: The Faerie of Youth (32)
The Faery of Youth seems to be playing a game of toadstool hopping. She appears to be in competition with the fae behind her . Other fae have dropped out of the game - though only one of them appears to be sulking. What helps is the spirit of fun in the challenge and the 'game' you play.It is often said that it is not the winning or losing that counts but the taking part. There is a lot of fun to be had in the project that you intend and you will get most out of it if you enter it in the spirit of youth. Set aside adult concern and look at your 'story-telling' with fresh eyes and listen to the unfolding tale with fresh ears. Are the fae suggesting that you to write a children's story...perhaps?
The age range I'm going for with the story would be in the Young Adult range. Definitely a very youthful audience. The advice here sounds good to me as well. I'll be keeping this card in mind while I write as a reminder.
Let me know if any of this resonates. I am a relative stranger in this strange land...
Elendil
So much of it! Thank you! This was a very insightful reading.
