Busting creative blocks with tarot and oracle cards

A little late to post this week – we ran into a snag with our internet connection. Such is life in a northern town…

Not having internet access for a couple of days gave me plenty of time to whiz through Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic. While this book is full creativity and rather light on the woo-woo, it still got me thinking about my own woo-woo.

A couple of summers ago I bought this tarot deck from The Fountain Tarot. I came across some images of the cards in this deck online and was captivated by them. I think they are some of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen and I knew I wanted them in my hands. About a year later, I came across this Sacred Creators Oracle Deck from Chris-Anne, and instantly fell in love with its stunning colours, minimalist look and inspiring messages.

I love using both of these decks. I don’t really use either set of cards for divination. I think of them more as “life prompts” and “creativity prompts.” I pull cards and read them to look at a situation or my work from a different perspective. Basically, they are tools that help me become unblocked in life and in my creativity.

As creatives, we get stuck sometimes. We don’t always feel inspired. We get burnt out. We get the blahs. These help me keep working.

What tools do you pull out when you’re feeling blocked?

Nurturing.

I’ve been trying this thing recently where, as often as possible, I take care of myself by doing the things I need to do and I also the things I want to do.

This is how I found myself in bed at 11:30 pm on New Year’s Eve. My partner and I had travelled eight hours home the day before after a bustling whirlwind holiday over the capital “H” holidays. We were wiped. So, as our friends toasted to a happy and prosperous 2019, I was blissfully dreaming. I had looked forward to that New Year’s party for months, but when it came down to it, I had no bones about crawling into bed instead.

On New Year’s Day I scribbled down three things I am focused on that I hope will carry me through this year and beyond. All three are linked by the act of nurturing. This year I will nurture:

• My relationship with my most wonderful partner
• My body, mind and spirit
• My creative spark

These three things are all dear to me, and I suspect I will find they are all intertwined (though I try to steer clear of such assumptions). However the third item, nurturing my creative spark, is what I’ll explore in this blog.

I’ve long been a collector of inspiration – writing prompts, activity ideas, nudges for exploration – but I tend to quickly forget about them. Now is the time, though. I feel inspired to use the prompts, take the advice, and step out of my comfort zone when it comes to creativity, and see where it takes me.

Happy 2019 to you! What are you focused on right now, or what do you hope to focus on in the coming year? Whatever it may be, I hope this year brings you happiness and wonderful opportunity.