BASIC READING Example 1
Who has insight to share with me about my relationship with my big brother John?
Patience – I am the one who is sitting still and looking out to sea, waiting. I am the one who is sheltered in this cove. I am the one who is alone. I am the one who is calmly waiting for something or someone. What I have to say to you about your relationship with John is this: You have taken steps to reach out to him, dear one. You can’t force what isn’t happening. It’s all about the tides, see? They come in and they go out. In nature as well as relationships. Trust. Be still. Focus within. Be patient.
Mystic – I am the one who is covered in a black cloak, holding a crystal ball. I am the one who is rising out of a multi-faceted diamond. I am the one who looks into the ball, who holds the ball reverently and steadily. I am the one who stands in front of Spirit, the Container of all things. I am the one who sees, who knows, who understands. My message to you about your relationship with your brother John is this: hold steady. Do not give up. Keep looking and searching for ways to reach out to him. He is dear to you and you are dear to him. The only thing you can do is honor yourself. Do you need to be very close to him now? Because you were close when you were younger, does that mean you need to be close now? What exactly is making you sad? Look within, and see!
Stripey Shadows – I am the one who is looking outside. I am the one who is looking towards the light. I am the one who is made up of light and shadow. I am the one who is accepting of the light and the dark parts of me. I am the one who knows that one cannot exist without the other. What I say to you about you and your brother is this: It is about balancing the light with the dark. You cannot have any relationship that is all golden, all the time. Do you see? Open your eyes and look around you. Closeness with others comes and goes. It must be worked at, held closely, intentioned into being. Do you have that intention with your brother? Does he? Do not think that all is light or all is dark. Simply remember that all is well.
BASIC READING Example 2
Here’s how a few shadow cards might have answered that question from Example 1:
Killjoy- I am the one who kills joy wherever it is found. I am the one who doesn’t want you to feel joy. I am the one who beats the joy right out of you. I am the one who is scared of feeling joy and doesn’t want you to experience it. I am the one who believes that life is hard and that joy is only good for special occasions like Christmas and maybe your birthday. I am the one who has been with you since childhood. My insight about your relationship with John is this: Having a big brother used to bring you a lot of joy. Take a look at my energy and see if you can figure out how I’ve been stopping you from that sibling-joy. Know that you don’t need to cowtow to my voice all the time. I am just one voice out of many. I am not necessarily the truth.
Bubble Woman- I am the one who has many difficult emotions but I keep myself locked away from them. I am the one who is safe here in my bubble where I don’t have to feel any messy feelings. I am the one who protects myself from life by not feeling difficult feelings. My message for you about John is this: Maybe you need to process some of your feelings about how you and he are no longer close. Are you feeling angry? Sad? Scared? Guilty? I may have been the one who ran your life for many years but I no longer need to run your life! You have choices and one choice you have right now is to come out of that bubble and let the real feelings in. They will not destroy you. They will help you to heal.