A Moderate Balance

I was going to write something about finding balance and the importance of moderation. Then I realized that this is more an aspiration than a reality for me and that is something of a breakthrough.

In my opinion, and as a Daoist, moderation in all things is key to aligning with the cosmic energy and the world around me. Everything is in flux; nothing is certain except uncertainty. I literally told someone during a tarot reading this week that it was important to go with the flow. I explained how that was more than just a catchphrase, how the concept of Wu Wei applies to everything we do (or don’t).

It’s incredibly easy to help someone else see how this applies in their life. I should practice what I preach.

Just this morning, I sat down with the intention of making headway on my myriad plans. The problem is I don’t have a clear vision as to which ‘thing’ that might be. I want to build my graphic design skills in one area with the goal of creating a tangible body of work. I want to work on my novel. I want to write an engaging column every week. I want to contribute meaningful content for my volunteer role. I want to revive my daily tarot practice, which I’ve ignored for far too long. I have a stack of books, both fiction and educational, sitting unread on shelves and on my Kindle. Not to mention a tidy/purge/reorganize project I’ve been putting off for, well, years.

Yesterday, I made the commitment to read tarot every day, and post on the socials as I’ve done for years. The reading basically said: you can’t do it all at once, but you must do something.

I should follow my own advice. I should also cut myself some slack. I do manage to write here every week, even if, or especially because, I often feel the pressure of my self-imposed deadline (it’s late Tuesday morning and I’ll need to edit, create the header graphic, and publish this to my site by the end of the day for mailing and posting tomorrow).

If I were really organized and had my act together, I’d have a folder of column drafts ready to go but it doesn’t work that way. I’m pretty sure I’m not the only writer who produces only when under the threat of a deadline. I was more than ready to ditch the structure of the corporate working world when I retired, only to find that I actually really appreciate the need for it. Heck, some days I don’t shower until almost lunchtime and after years of waking up on my own at 4am, and at my desk working by 6am, I now regularly sleep until after the sun comes up.

This sounds like a perfect third act, it is and I’m not complaining, but I’m also not in alignment with my natural rhythm. I feel as though half the day is gone before I even get started. That means I either need to shift my internal clock to be productive later in the day or set a damned alarm, get up, and get busy. In any case, I obviously need to apply a moderate balance of structure and flexibility. Going to think about this. Pull some cards. Contemplate where I want to be, and by when, and how much effort I’m willing to put in to get there.

In the meantime, I’ll keep posting my daily tarot readings on Instagram. Concentrating on walking my own talk while freely sharing my opinions on what I think you should do. We should both listen to me, probably.

If you would like to know more about working with me, my ancestral connection work, my Daoist path, or my other offerings such as tarot readings, monthly full-moon tarot circles, spiritual guidance, and mindset coaching, you can find more detailed information by using the drop-down menu on my website: The Mystic’s Parlour (the-mystics-parlour.ghost.io)

You can also contact me via email at themysticsparlour@gmail.com or on any of my social media channels. And follow along with TABI Tarot on their social media channels as well. https://tabi.org.uk

Your continued support and encouragement are greatly appreciated.