Naming the Nameless

I will write about why the Fairy Tale Tarot reminded me of the older post. The way we experience emotion in our lives and the way the emotions both make us who we are and have the potential to make us question who we really are.

The Fairy Tale Tarot reminded me of the earlier post, Life is Like Landing on the Hudson because of the wide range of emotions experienced by the passengers on the plane and the similar range of emotions that can be evoked by both the cards and the fairy tales.

When one is “introduced” to a new deck, there is a thrill of new adventure or the beginning of a journey just as the passengers on the plane experienced. Anticipation and possibilities await, whether it’s a business trip or a vacation. The same is true of a deck. (Although I must say…some decks are better “flights” than others.) Then, of course, there is confusion, just as the passengers struggled to understand what was happening on this flight of terror, the Fairy Tale Tarot may create some confusion as one struggles to understand the cards and the messages they are sending.

Now let's think about the fairy tales themselves. They provide snapshots of every human emotion imaginable. They are like mirrors reflecting fear, sadness, loss, terror, wonder, joy and relief, as well as, hundreds of other feelings. These stories evoke in us deep emotions, and these very emotions and how we experience them are what makes us who we are. For example, the strong silent type, the whiner, the Pollyanna, etc.

People have been being described by their emotional states since the beginning of time. But to me the really interesting aspect is HOW these same emotions, the ones that shape who we are and how we face the world....can challenge us at our core, can give us such pause that we take off in new directions and discover new things along this journey of life. It is this aspect that plays out in the Fairy Tale Tarot, for the art, the stories, and the way we use them in our lives encourages a deeper understanding of self. It is in the questioning that we grow.

And just like the people on the plane, we have to decide if the "shock" of our life experiences are going to leave us paralyzed and stuck in a plane filling with water. Or if we will move forward in the moment and let a "calm" sense of purpose settle over us.

In some ways the cards provide this calm sense of purpose. They give us a framework for considering more than just this world but the inner world also. It's hard to explore something that has no name. And the soul, our inner world, our personalities, our emotions, are illusive...they are nameless. The Fairy Tale Tarot allows us to give them a name.....Tatterhood, The Sorceress, Hok Lee, The Snow Daughter, Coyote, and many, many others. They are all reflections of us. Are at the very least pieces of a puzzle. A Puzzle called SELF.

So don't be shy, step right up...out onto the wing of the plane, if you will. Don't stay behind in the useless plane with water seeping in around your feet. With the confidence of the Summer Queen, assert yourself. Bring warmth to the seasons of your life. Pick up the deck and introduce yourself, one card and one story at a time.