Resisting Change?
Using tarot to help us through
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just need some clarity and direction. Any kind of insight into both the present and the future to quiet my busy mind that is really good at making up all kinds of worst case scenarios.
Here are some prompts for a spread that might resonate with you. It is one of twenty (20!) new spreads that Michelle came up with. We will share a few with you here and others will show up in the expanded guidebook that will be available for sale on our website in the future (www.teachertarot.com - decks are available now - get one before they sell out!)
This one is called Resisting Change. I chose it today because I need help working through my own resistance to unwelcome change. For a quick, high level backstory, I had an incredibly wonderful, joyful, over the moon kind of day this past week related to opportunities for educational progress for students with disabilities (and ALL students) and I’m trying to reconcile that sense of joy and hope with the realities of our current political climate and related actions.
The uncertainty of how recent events (like the layoffs at the Office of Special Education Programs) will impact students with disabilities weighs heavily on me, and I feel plain exhausted by the constant barrage of things like this that require valuable energy; energy that could be much better spent on more positive, productive things that actually make schools better for students and teachers alike. I don’t like what is becoming the new normal of stress and chaos. I am resisting this change, but I can see that I need to figure out how to best exist in the midst of it. Tarot can be helpful for things like this.
To use the Resisting Change spread, I suggest shuffling the cards as many times as it feels good while you take some deep breaths and really focus on the questions. When you’re ready, stop shuffling and pull three cards, they will represent:
What are you resisting?
What needs your attention?
Where can you find comfort, action, or shifts needed to better navigate this change?
When I pulled three cards, I wasn’t surprised to see that where I can find comfort, action, and shifts needed is “The Magician” card. The Teacher. I am absolutely comforted by the incredible teachers and educational leaders all around me, and I am grateful for my own role as a teacher and leader, too. I know that we are a dynamic, committed, resilient bunch and together we can navigate what lies ahead. None of us need this chaos, least of all our students, but there are things we can do to make it through. We can persistently advocate for the rights and funding our students deserve, be creative about how we use our resources and continue with the mission of creating a public school system for all that includes students with disabilities by design.
I believe in public schools, I believe in teachers and educational leaders, and perhaps that is what is meant by “hope” needing my attention in that second card. It’s validation that it isn’t naive to hope, but in fact it is a powerful driving force when paired with committed action.
The cards provided needed perspective by pointing out that I am resisting balance (e.g., vacillating wildly between the joy of the amazing work happening locally and the fear of decisions happening in the national scene that do have an impact). I can acknowledge that hope needs my steady attention, and I can find comfort and opportunities for action with teachers. The Magicians.
This was a helpful spread for me today, I hope you can find some solace in the cards when you need it, too.
*The Office of Special Education Programs performs essential functions related to the oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Without staff in that office, the education of students with disabilities is in peril. Visit the CEC Legislative Toolkit to let your local representatives know you support the Office of Special Education Programs and its vital role in ensuring the rights of students with disabilities across the country.