Litha Blog Hop | Spread | Embracing Your Gifts

Published by Alison Cross on

TADAAAAAH! Welcome
to This Game of Thrones Litha Blog Hop for Midsummer 2013!!  You may have happened along here from the last blogger in the train, the lovely Joanna Ash or be working your way back through the list (because you’re a REBEL!) and have alighted here from Cher’s site.  Heck, you might even be here because you are already familiar with the rose-strewn path that leads to Throne Towers πŸ™‚


If you’ve not been across the draw-bridge before, you are very welcome.  Here at Tarot Thrones I focus on those pesky critturs the Court Cards and hope to persuade you that they are excellent allies in all your Tarot work and that they are nothing to get into a hyperventilating fug about πŸ™‚

Please, take a seat!  *beckons towards an empty Throne*.  Just let me fluff up the cushions…….. A poorly fluffed cushion can lead to discomfort on even the loveliest throne. Just ask The Queen of Pentacles. She’s always crocheting us comfy stuff to sit on*

There, now that you’re comfortable, let me explain this Litha Blog Hop theme.  Our
challenge seemed quite straightforward – shed some light on something
that we are good at.


I sat and stared at the blank screen for quite a long time with this one.  I struggled to accept that I was good at anything!  Well, certainly good enough at anything that I wanted to toot my own trumpet about in public πŸ™‚

That got me thinking – why is it difficult for some people to accept – and promote – that they’re good at things?



It can take a lot of courage to say aloud (or in pixels!) that you want to achieve something, that you have a goal, a skill, and that you want to take that skill to the next level.  And I think that’s because to admit that you are GOOD at something is to invite criticism that you’re simply NOT good at it!

Thinking of publishing a book, a deck…launching a teaching package…. creating tap dancing tutorials on youtube!?  You can bet your bottom dollar that there is someone out there sniggering into their coffee at the very IDEA of YOU doing this – just who do you think you are?!  They will be gleefully messaging their friends and together they will privately mock and deride you for your efforts.  Have you heard of Tall Poppy Syndrome?  Yeah? That’s it at its worst!   

I think that we are all guilty of Tall Poppy Syndrome, in some way or another.  It might be nothing more than a slight green-tinged pang when a friend makes an announcement – quickly scorched and replaced by genuine delight at her success……or it can be something much more insidious – a resentment that grows and festers, sending out deep, irrational roots and poisoning you from within.

And do you know who is the worst person for it? That’s right – YOU!  How often do you come up with something that you’d love to do, but you immediately talk yourself out of it because inside your head is a little voice that says ‘How DARE you think that YOU might succeed at this! People will totally laugh in your face!’ yada, yada, yada….. 

Now, one
of the things that *I’m* good at is helping other people make the most
of their ideas and opportunities. I get REALLY enthusiastic about
people’s ideas and can see so many ways to help them along the
road that they want to be on…. Honestly, I get as excited as Kim Kardashian with new shoes!


I say: Don’t let that irrational stuff poison your dreams from within!


I
LOVE it when people feel that they can trust me enough to say ‘this
is my Big Idea’ and I can help them work out those first little steps to working towards it! I get such a kick out
of it, I can’t tell you!  I get to over-ride the little How Dare You voice inside that person’s head AND be part of their journey (squeak! did I really just use the word ‘journey lol!?’

So, today, I decided to come up with a spread that might help you embrace your
qualities and admit that you are good at stuff and that you have not only a RIGHT to pursue it, but a duty to the WORLD to pursue it!

SHINING YOUR LIGHT IN THE WORLD SPREAD

I’m taking my inspiration from the Queen of Wands (this is a Court Card blog, after all!).  The Queen of Wands is the epitome of enthusiasm and the fire in
your belly that you need to engender to make your dream a reality. She’s also got nurturing Queenly energy to help things progress.



In the RWS, the other queens focus on their suit symbol, not the Queen of Wands,
she looks out at you – daring you to look back at her and get
engaged!  Are you ready to engage?!  Don’t expect a lot of emotional sympathy from this Queen when you are pummelling yourself with self-doubt and listening to the Witch of the Tall Poppies that lives inside your head.  Her message is:  Get. On. With. It.







Card 1:            I am a Queen:  In what way do I manifest mastery?

I hold my Wand, like a walking support:

Card 2:          What
supports me in developing this mastery?

I offer you my sunflower totem:

Card 3:          How
will this gift of mine shine light in the world?

Here is my little companion animal:

Card 4:          This is untapped energy, make use of it – it’s here to help.


I’d love to hear how this spread turns out for you in the comments!  And now on to the next blog in the hop!! Hope you come back to visit me and the Courts soon!!  We always have biscuits and fancy tea……..


To visit the next blog in the train, Tarot by Cher, click here.
To visit the previous blog in the train, Sun Goddess Tarot, by Joanna, click here.

Broken links?  Here’s the master link


Alison Cross

The Tarot's Court Cards are my specialist area.Β  They talk to me. Not LITERALLY though ....

16 Comments

Inner Whispers · 3rd July 2013 at 4:13 pm

You're right, Ali, you're great at helping other people with their ideas! I hope you will manifest some of your own, too, as they sound fascinating πŸ™‚ This post is a good time to thank you for your help in making my Celtic Lenormand dream come true. And a lovely spread, too!

Neopagan Priestess · 3rd July 2013 at 2:16 pm

Biscuits, fancy tea, AND a throne to sit on while trying out a fabulous-looking spread, really, who could ask for more? Seems to me you also have a gift for hospitality πŸ˜‰

Sharon · 1st July 2013 at 12:19 am

Exactly Alison! Most of us find it hard to say we're good at something out loud but it saddens me that many of us (including myself) struggle to acknowledge our gifts when we're alone.

Fabulous spread… I'll be giving this a whirl later in the week πŸ™‚

Alison · 30th June 2013 at 12:11 pm

Ace of Cups, 9 of Swords, King of Swords, 3 of Cups. Head and heart! Gift of loving, supported by remembering my fears are in my mind, shining through communication, untapped joy…

Anonymous · 23rd June 2013 at 2:00 am

Great spread, as always. Definite keeper. And yes, you are a great and witty writer, Alison. I got the following, a great sequence for this spread:

Empress – 9 Cups – Page Swords – 6 Wands. Draw from the Earth, feel the satisfaction, nurture the idea, unveil success.

Thanks!

Cher Green · 21st June 2013 at 11:12 pm

First stop on my blog hopping. Loved the post. Wonderful spread. Couldn't resist pulling my cards – Knight of Cups, Page of Cups, 15 The Devil, 5 of Wands (reversed).

Jenna · 21st June 2013 at 5:28 pm

As "Queen of Wands Tarot" I heartily approve of this message! πŸ™‚

Tarot By Arwen · 21st June 2013 at 4:37 pm

I love this! Great spread (and the first one I've seen as I hop my way through.) Definitely going to be doing this one.

Louise Underhill · 21st June 2013 at 1:28 pm

Great post Ali and yes, writing and spread-creating are clearly two of your talents πŸ™‚

Pepi Valderrama · 21st June 2013 at 12:08 pm

Great post!!! Plus, first time to know the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" lol

Joanna Ong · 21st June 2013 at 11:58 am

What a fun post! You know, I have never heard of tall poppy syndrome till now. I am unfortunately a tall and oddly-shaped poppy….*wail* …but I promise to use your Sunflower totem to kill my lack of self confidence soon…ok ok…now.

John Marani · 21st June 2013 at 10:00 am

Fantastic post, Alison! Very inspiring!

Alison · 21st June 2013 at 9:18 am

Great post, thanks for sharing! Although you did hit a little close to home… πŸ™‚

Ania · 21st June 2013 at 9:12 am

Very enjoyable post, but then writing is one of your talents πŸ™‚
I know exactly what you mean, though. I often find it so much easier to get excited about other's people's ideas, talents and projects than about my own. I think it's because you don't require self-confidence for other people's stuff, just enthusiasm, but this is usually not enough to carry through your own projects.

Vivianne · 21st June 2013 at 5:53 am

I loved this, brilliant post πŸ™‚

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