Monday, January 26, 2015

How to maintain a courageous attitude

I really enjoyed reading about how to maintain attitude in An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris Hadfield,  Apparently maintaining attitude to an Astronaut means keeping your space craft in its proper orientation to the sun during orbit.  When I consider my life as my space craft, I understand the importance of maintaining a good orientation to the light, and not turning toward the dark.  So what if I have recently been turned toward doubt and self-criticism?  How to I reorient?  I decided to conduct a Journey Oracle reading and drew 4 cards.


This first card is an image of my situation right now.  Hum.  Lying down with my hair on fire and my mouth full and spinning.  Looking washed out of color.  This is the Oracle of high summer, of inspiration and divination.  Yet I seem to be seeing this intense energy as exhaustion.  Looks like my attitude is definitely going upside down.


This is a picture of my experience in my situation.  This is the Oracle of the Sun, of connection to one's higher self.  Yet I appear to be making a dismissive gesture as the small figure in front, and am sad and worried in the face behind.  So this attitude of not being open, of being uncertain, is coloring how I feel the truth.  I have a sudden insight.  Maintaining attitude is a matter of feeling the truth of one's current position.  These postures and expressions do not feel true.


This is the change that is calling me.  Looks like I need to turn my head upside down.  This is the Oracle of adaptation, of hardiness and endurance.  Even though this face is "in a whirl" it is maintaining this a serene attitude.  I realize that my much of my current doubt and uncertainty in my situation is because I am trying to help other people have MY experience, instead of letting others tell their story in their own way.


This is a picture of my resolution.  I see a fawn behind bushes in the sunrise.  This is the Oracle of prophesy and clear sightedness. This Oracle card asks me, "Do you have first aid?"  In my situation of doubt and self-criticism, I feel that letting go of worry and trusting in the rising light is the antidote.  I read the Journey Oracle fairy tale of the man who climbs the mountain with only a small amount of water, and then pours this out at the top to give a gift to the song he receives.  I realize the water is courage, the willingness that supports the effort to gain the goal.  Hope is not an answer, but even a small amount of courage is a gift.  It takes courage to be calm and trusting like the fawn. And right now the truth I feel is the calm and trust filled courage that maintains my orientation to the rising light.