Joy Is A Legitimate Need
The apocalypse does not require a new tarot deck. Or, does it?
Are we keeping stockpiles of toilet paper again? Canned goods, or bottled water? I can’t keep track, but a good rule of thumb is only buy what you need and use what you buy. Maybe host a neighborhood swap, for those things you no longer want. There’s a thought – more on that at the end.
I received an email today from a small, independent deck/book publisher. They spoke openly of the challenges they will soon face as a small business who relies on manufacturers in China for the final product of the artists, authors, and creators they support. The email emphasizes the importance of art, beauty, and joy, and I agree. It also included a small percentage discount on what I consider a significant purchase amount to help me find a bit of that joy.
I understand and empathize with this publisher, and all the other small businesses who now face impossible hurdles, but the timing of their promotion just hit me the wrong way. It was reminiscent of the car dealerships and electronics retailers sales pitches, capitalizing on the impending economic collapse to entice us to buy that thing we really don’t need. If I’m worried about how I’m going to afford basic necessities in the coming weeks, I don’t need a new tarot deck right now.
If the trade war continues to escalate (most of the tariffs are capped and paused for 90 days as of the time of this essay), we won’t be able to get very far ahead of it. We’ll have to adjust in other ways to budget our spending. For those of us who are fortunate enough now to afford things like independently published tarot decks, it may well mean forgoing those discretionary purchases for the foreseeable future.
Our grandparents knew how to use things up, then take what remained from that and use it for another purpose. They made do or did without. They relied on their neighbors and their community for support and in return they supported in kind.
This way of looking at the world doesn’t come naturally to me, and I’ve been struggling with the concept of building community ever since I recognized the need for it almost a decade ago. Byron Ballard calls it ‘building circles on the ground’. The idea is appealing to envision, but the application is hard work. It’s difficult to find like-minded people who are committed, dedicated and diligent to keeping a community going.
What’s that saying about being the change you want to see in the world? Maybe I’ll start by hosting a tarot deck and crystal swap. I’ve got quite a few decks and crystals to dispose of before we move halfway around the world, but I wouldn’t mind having a ‘new to me’ one before we go.
The things that bring us joy are as important now, as they ever were. Maybe even more so. And there's a certain satisfaction of finding new and creative ways to discover it. We don't have to buy it - we can make it ourselves. Together.
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If you would like to know more about my ancestral connection work, my Daoist path, or my other offerings such as tarot readings and classes, spiritual guidance, and mindset mentoring, you can find more detailed information by using the drop-down menu on my website: https://the-mystics-parlour.ghost.io.
This coming June, I’m presenting a workshop for the Tarot Association of British and International members (TABI). The topic is: Tarot Conversations, Eavesdropping on the Cards. The fee is very reasonable, at less than $10, with a recording of the workshop if you can’t attend the live session. More information on the TABI website soon.
You can also contact me via email at themysticsparlour@gmail.com and I’m @teaintheparlour on Bluesky and @the.mystics.parlour on Instagram.
I appreciate your continued support and encouragement.