Despite the work on my desk, I’m taking a break to wish you all Happy Sunday! The weather here suddenly went from sunshine and highs of 80° F (26.7 C) to rain, wind, and temps in the 50s (10° C) and I’m hoping the hard freeze expected tonight will turn the leaves to gold and red.
With this radical change in the weather, I’ve decided to change Tarot decks. Today I’m using the Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris-Anne. This gorgeous deck was introduced to me by Becky Chappell, a fabulous artist, and online friend. Working with this deck is different, the card means feel softer and less concrete than the Lo Scarabeo deck I used for the past two months.
Why Do You Work?
First up is the King of Pentacles and what hits me is the coziness of this card. We have a man cuddled up with his wolf-dog in a warn, comfy library. The classic keywords for this card include wealth, material comfort, security, leadership, and abundance. This King has put in the work and reached his goals. He’s at the top of his profession, and it doesn’t matter which profession. He might be the CEO of a multinational or the best damn plumber in town, the one who comes out at two in the morning when your pipe suddenly bursts and floods the kitchen. His message is to remember the reason why we work.
Most of us need to work to have a place to live, food, clothes, internet access, and so on. However, how you view your work, how it fits into your whole life, is important. Are you working so that you can buy more, bigger, and better things or pay off those things you’ve already bought? How much of yourself are you giving for your work? What are you getting in return? Is it worth it?
These are all very personal questions and there is no global correct answer.
Where Do Your Relationships Fit in Your Work and Life?
Next up is the Ten of Pentacles which underlines the message from the King of Pentacles. In this card we see a family playing together in a park. They have what they want and love what they have. The suit of Pentacles is about work and finances, but in both this card and the King we see people relaxing, happy, and enjoying themselves. Those people put work in its place and can fully be in the moment with their loved ones.
Change Your Perspective on Work
Finally, there is the Hanged One, a Major Arcana card that is all about looking at things from a different perspective. I loved the Hanged One because it challenges my brain to look at an issue from all sides. Let’s say you currently do the work of three people, but only get paid by your employer for one. You put in long hours, even working evenings and weekends. If this sounds like you, play around with how you could demote work to just be a part of your life instead of allowing it to take over completely.
What happens if you tell your boss your current schedule is unsustainable and you can only work 8 hours a day? What happens if you get your resume out there? What happens if you say nothing and just do what you can in the hours you’re being paid for? What happens if you spend more time with family and friends? What happens if you have more time to take a fun class, visit a museum, or go to a basketball game instead of work?
I Look At Work Differently
Back in 2002, I did this. I was stuck as a comptroller for a company that didn’t meet my own moral values and where I was told I was topped out in salary. It paid well, but I hated going to work. My husband and I owned an expensive condo in downtown Seattle and lived pretty high. My husband and I looked at all of the alternatives and finally decided that I should take the plunge. I quit and started my own freelance business. Later my husband decided to do something similar and we sold the condo and moved to a small city where things cost 25-50% less to live. We made some missteps along the way, but we survived and are happier than if we’d stayed in the big city. (By the way, remember how I was “topped out in salary”? Yeah, they hired my replacement at 75% more than I was making.)
Take some time to think about the role your work plays in your life. Is it a monolith that sucks out all joy? Is it just meh? Maybe you love it and don’t mind the long hours at all because it means so much to you. All this spread asks is that you take a look and make sure your priorities are straight.
What Clients are Saying about Sophrosyne Tarot
I was advised to ask open-ended questions instead of predictive questions which I thought was helpful because I never would have known if it weren’t for the reader. The reader provided the reading along with some advice too so the entire reading was very thorough and explained in an understandable manner.
Everything said was accurate and helpful for me to identify my flaws in order to grow as a person. I have learned a lot about tarot and what it does to help me.
It sounds like your plunge was for the better. Starting your own business and moving to a smaller city, sounds like the perfect combination. Some times we have to step back to get ahead and be happy.
This is all very interesting. I got my book yesterday and have done some reading. It makes more sense to me now on how to use the cards. I’m looking forward to receiving the cards. I’m appreciating them as art from the pictures already.
Thank you for your insightful comment. I definitely think it’s important to be honest with yourself about the role your work plays in your life, and to make sure your priorities are in order. We only have one life, and we should make the most of it! Regardless of all the tasks someone might have to do at the job, your attitude is something you can control. No one is making you stay if you don’t like your job. But if you do like your job, try to focus on the positive aspects of it and be grateful for what you have. Thank you again for sharing.