Masterclass 5(B)
The reading: B – Paula’s feedback
Interpreting Raindance.
Spread position: North
Aspect: Unconscious
Card: Raindance
Grid position: group: Question (9 grey/brown); set: fundamental archetypes (5)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Raindance/45.aspx
The subject of the Unconscious has been something that I have become more and more aware of over the years. Initially I found the sheer scope of its unending possibilities very daunting and almost painful to think about. Overtime I have begun to understand more and feel more comfortable with the possibilities of the Unconscious and my abilities to re-connect to my natural energy state. I have recently been through some tragic circumstances and during my recuperation period happened upon a book that jumps with both feet into the Unconscious. I am reading this book at the moment and it’s like reading material you always knew to be true, in your heart, but which you’ve never seen organised in print before, clearly rational and making complete sense. It has been a real revelation and one that has given me a clearer perspective on life and death and the purpose of the positive and negative experiences we all go through.
Interpreting inhibition
Spread position: South
Aspect: consciousness, daily life, practical matters
Card: Inhibition (reversed)
Grid position: group: Communication (7, Blue); set: introvert imbalance (1)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Inhibition/7.aspx
I found this card to be amazingly insightful as, the day before the Reading, I had been discussing the issue of public presentations and speaking in meetings with my business partner. I have never enjoyed public speaking (I think for fear that what I say won’t make sense, or that people won’t react well to me) but it is becoming more a part of my business and therefore important that I at least try. My business partner has basically told me to pull myself together and after I’ve spoken up in a meeting a couple of times I won’t find it difficult anymore. The simple fact remains that I just don’t enjoy it. I am generally confident and am able to interact very well in 1-2-1 or small group situations, but I absolutely dread standing up in front of people I don’t know and having to address them. I have also suffered a knock to my confidence recently and this has heightened my unhappiness at standing up in front of strangers. I like to camouflage myself so that I never have to be in the limelight. This is my natural state and I have always been this way – at the moment I am being forced out of my natural state at a time when it’s absolutely the last thing I want to even think about.
Interpreting Form
Spread position: West
Aspect: Will – female pole: emotion
Card: Form
Grid position: group: Form (4 orange); set: fundamental archetypes (5)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Form/40.aspx
The meaning of this card in this position couldn’t describe my emotional state any better at this time. I keep my emotions in check because it benefits me to do so and helps with the running of my life in the material/physical world. Three months ago I gave birth to my first child, a girl, but tragically she died. The pain (physical, emotional and mental) was almost overwhelming and I had to become very disciplined with my emotions so that I could begin getting my life back in order and to start to move forward. I took some weeks out after the birth to properly grieve and therefore the interpretation of the card is absolutely right when it suggests that my ordered feelings are not in fact suppressed. It is necessary for me to manage my feelings because I have responsibilities to uphold (to my husband, my business partners, my family) and I cannot allow my emotions to let me sink into any form of depression. Right now I feel that I need to channel my energies into work and solid, material projects so that I have a strong focus at this time. I know that time takes care of all things eventually, and that I won’t feel this way forever, but at the moment it is very beneficial for me to concentrate on keeping myself grounded.
Interpreting Creation
Spread position: East
Aspect: Spirit – male pole: reason, discernment, perception etc
Card: Creation
Grid position: group: Heart – (3 green); set: fundamental archetypes (5)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Creation/39.aspx
I feel the meaning of this card follows on from the previous card and further highlights that I am focusing on creating in the material sense a) because it gives me a definite focus at this time and b) because what is better that combining will and desire and creating? I am ambitious and entrepreneurial and find great satisfaction and happiness in creating businesses and generating money. We all need to live in the physical world and therefore we need to make money and assets and bits and pieces to protect us and enable us to live well. These things are not in themselves the goals that I am seeking: one day I want to be able to indulge my spirit to create and be free! (Unfortunately to get to this point I need to take care of my material concerns first and that is what I’m working on at the present time).
Interpreting Formation
Spread position: North-West
Aspect: Communication
Card: Formation
Grid position: group: Form (4 orange); set: process archetypes (9)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Formation/76.aspx
Communication is at the heart of my business, as is training and learning. I really like this card in this position because my business development is due to the effort I put into learning, studying and applying the tools I need. As there are three business partners communication is very important – especially at this time, due to the third partner joining only four months ago and us being in a state of transition and development. The balance has shifted and any form of change needs to be managed and needs to have open lines of communication. At the moment I feel the success or failure of our business is down to the level of communication between us.
Interpreting Attraction
Spread position: South-East
Aspect: Conjugation
Card: Attraction
Grid position: group: Will (2 red); set: love ways (8)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Attraction/65.aspx
To me this card simply shows that the bond between my husband and me is stronger and more powerful than ever before. We have been on such a painful journey, which many people find actually destroys the relationship between mother and father. Fortunately for us we find in each other what is weak or lacking in ourselves and have created a strong and loyal union.
Interpreting Beauty
Spread position: North-East
Aspect: Quest-ion? (goals)
Card: Beauty
Grid position: group: Conjugation (8 magenta); set: art and life (7)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Beauty/62.aspx
If I develop the basic ideas I have already shared (in Creation, above) my ultimate goal in life is to live in complete emotional, mental and physical balance and harmony. This may or may not be achievable but I am willing to try! I have always felt a mixture of both male and female energies and have been able to access both ‘worlds’ in an everyday life sense, which has been both fun and exciting. I don’t think about myself as either male or female to be honest: I often don’t understand why I can’t do something that typically belongs to a man’s world, such as building or boxing. I normally just go ahead and do what I want, regardless of stereotypes.
Ultimately I would love to live apart from the material concerns of daily life and spend my time learning, reading books, researching topics of interest and generally absorbing as much information as I can.
Perhaps then this card and the Inhibition card in my Communication Aspect is suggesting that I take this personal and rather introverted goal forward, and rather than just eating up all the information and knowledge for myself, I should in fact learn how to communicate and share this with others, helping other people find balance and harmony.
Interpreting Input
Spread position: South-West
Aspect: Self
Card: Input
Grid position: group: Unconscious (5, indigo); set: process archetypes (9)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Input/77.aspx
I feel very much so that I’m developing my psyche through access to the Unconscious and my current life experiences are leading me to explore this area. This is coming about because of both my inner search and need to find meaning in life and death and existence, as well as due to my external reading and research. There comes a point in life when you openly ask the question ‘What does it all mean?’ Rather than having this as something that niggled away at me from the corners of my memory I am now using the question to fuel my creativity. After having been through the death of my child I now feel that I no longer want to waste time: I want to concentrate on what is truly important to me in my life. I have opened myself up to being inspired by the Unconscious.
Interpreting Pain
Spread position: Centre
Aspect: (Heart) Summarising
Card: Pain
Grid position: group: Communication (7 blue); set: love ways (8)
http://www.rainringcards.com/Cards/Pain/70.aspx
As you are now aware of what happened to me three months ago I think the card speaks for itself. Peter and Hacina were not aware of the death of my child, or even of me being pregnant as I hadn’t seen Peter for over 8 months and hadn’t told him about my pregnancy. I think the observations about this card in this position are correct and that to experience pain is to go through opening up, letting oneself be vulnerable to another human being. I gave myself to my child for nine months and relied heavily on my husband for support, something that I had never had to do before. The pain I now feel at her loss is obviously at the centre of my heart and I am dealing with both emotional pain and some physical pain (as by body still thinks I have a baby and has not yet returned to normal). I am also dealing with psychological pain and the unending questions I ask myself – ‘What could I have done differently?’ and simply ‘Why?’
I have, however, been able to find some peace from my explorations into the Unconscious and trying to define the struggle of life and death, what they mean in the grand scheme of things. This has quietened my questions and has allowed me to continue with my life and move forward with positivity.
Overall I really appreciated the Reading – I thought it was very relevant and helped make clear to me my current psychological state. Having this mapped out clearly for me helps me to re-align myself to what I want to achieve in life and to see if I am veering off track in any way. From this reading I know that I am strong, doing well and am progressing as I want to.
(Footnote: I have not edited the above in any way – it is Paula’s writing as sent to me. As Paula says, Hacina and I had absolutely no knowledge of such momentous events having taken place in her life. I am moved and impressed by this feedback from her, and her willingness to share with such candour. Through this text, what was in some ways a puzzling and unsatisfying reading is fleshed out into a moving and integrated portrait of a critical moment in a young woman’s life. It seems to me that this reading provides a template for sound, effective work with Rainring: it is a co-operative process in which both reader and querant are enriched by their mutual exploration of the mysteries of the psyche. 23/11/07)