Future Tarot

A few weeks ago, Plaid returned to Future-Tarot and joined us in our Wednesday Chat. She asked: What can I do to improve my current situation? An INCREDIBLE Chat session followed that saw four talented women come together with synergistic ideas and insights that inspired and excited Plaid, moved her into action and began the upward swing to improve her situation.

Experiences like this are rare and special but I’ve noticed our Wednesday Tarot Chat often evolves into creative, empowering sessions that offer incredible value for all those who participate. If you want a reading with the energy and dynamic back-and-fourth then Tarot Chat is the best place to start. I hope you’ll join us this week!

Plaid: Or, more exactly I should ask: Will Plaid’s finances and luck improve very very soon? We’ve had a run of bad luck lately, the TV quit, one of my cats died, I can’t get paid, we replaced brakes on the van, and I posted the whole laptop rant on Absolute Write, etc…

Miss Michele: Wow, you wanted empowering… We have… I drew 4 cards… The Emperor, The High Priestess, Death and the Nine of Swords… (because Serenity likes to see the cards first). *Disclaimer: Ashley bent the Death card today… so it’s interesting to see how it plays out in this reading. I may have drawn it because it WAS sticking out. That’s why I drew the fourth card.*

Miss Michele: My overall impressions, Plaid, was that for some reason, you NEEDED this shakeup. The Emperor in the past is very by the book, things are going smoothly.

Serenity Bly: *nods* I like to avoid ‘timing’ questions when it comes to “will my situation improve” because the cards like to provide a ‘when’ for me anyway. That Death and then 9 of Swords indicates having to make a sacrifice to avoid continued challenges. The when is empowered by your action, if you take no action, difficulty will continue.

Miss Michele: I agree… It indicates that you need to let go of what isn’t working. Essentially, Plaid, things were going smoothly but it was lulling you into complacency. You wanted to “control” a bit too much of your life.

Serenity Bly: I feel like you are The High Priestess, Plaid. Are you trying to control everything? lol I must be in Miss Michele’s head.

Miss Michele: (and is more diplomatic about it.) lol

Plaid: I’m a flipside card… I’m in control of some things, but nothing I plan ever goes accordingly.

Miss Michele: Yes! It doesn’t for The Emperor either–not all the time BUT the High Priestess tells us you CAN control that which you are good at controlling–ie, yourself, your skills, your business. And you can NURTURE others.

Serenity Bly: Needing to have a sense of order could lead you to micro-managing which will increase your stress. You may find that this need for control is holding you back. Releasing control, going with the flow, and allowing others to fill the void gives you the freedom to approach life differently.

Miss Michele: I’d say what Serenity talks about is what got you into this fix–on some level.

Serenity Bly: True control comes from developing trust and responsibility in those around you.

Miss Michele: And THAT is shown in the High Priestess, in the near future. Death indicates the need to get rid of that desire to micromanage–along with anything else in your life that isn’t serving you. I mean, obviously, mourn the cat. (I’m sorry for your loss!) But the TV and the rest of it-including the whole “I’ve had bad luck lately” meme – discard it.

Plaid: I’ve spent a lot of time lately doing things for other people, but I haven’t had enough time and resources for my own work. I do have a serious problem with trust. I always feel like I’m left holding the bag, and have to come through for everyone.

Serenity Bly: The Emperor can use a heavy hand, and that is shown in the past but I also feel like this is outside of you. Someone else in your life has had you under thumb which is perhaps why you feel a need to maintain control over those things you can. Having felt like someone’s puppet makes you cling to your sense of self-identity, your sense of managing your own future. I feel this is a knee-jerk reaction from fear; having come out of that situation into this one you’re instinct is to wrap your hands around your freedom which in truth creates a whole new kind of prison.

Plaid: Very true.

Miss Michele: Well said, Serenity.

Mysti: Plaid – just my thought process here, but is Demand Studios holding you back?

Miss Michele: DS, that whole type of work, can BE the Emperor, too. Rigid, not a lot of room to expand or room for growth. Very by-the-book.

Plaid: Not really, Mysti. But it’s a double-edged sword. It takes a lot of time, but it’s been the only thing buying groceries, since hubby’s check is swallowed instantly by other bills. I am beginning to resent the feeling that I have to work every. single. day. just to earn a living. The stress of it is wearing me down.

Serenity Bly: I’m not familiar enough with how Demand Studios work, but that sense of over-responsibility and feeling trapped into this job because you don’t have choices could be what the Nine of Swords in this reading is all about. Especially since “it’s the only thing buying groceries”.

Plaid: I had planned to take tomorrow ‘off’ and work on my book proposal and Sat. Evening Post submission.

Miss Michele: Ok, I went off on a whim here and drew a fifth card… I don’t know if I’m ‘cheating’ but I wasn’t satisfied. And the fifth card is the Nine of Pentacles… You are tending your garden, Plaid, and from it, things will grow.

Plaid: Geez, I never learn things the easy way, do I? lol

Mysti: If DS is what is buying the groceries, it’s quite the proverbial thumb.

Miss Michele: There’s a powerful feminine energy here fighting with the rigidity of that schedule, the burden of earning money, and the whole lack of creativity involved with work like DS. (No offense to it, at all! I find content work enjoyable, too!)

Serenity Bly: Ah, and the fifth card makes all the difference, Plaid. If you can release and give up the things in your life that create stress you WILL come out in a better financial and material position.

Miss Michele: Becca, I literally felt my hand guided to draw that final card. It was quite strange actually. lol

Serenity Bly: If Demand Studios IS the Emperor, if you are hating the gig and finding it oppressing you but are worried because it is all that’s paying the bills the Nine of Pentacles shows you that there are other financial opportunities and you may have to let go of the false sense of security DS offers to take on these other opportunities.

Miss Michele: From a practical (non-tarot) standpoint, I’d see if there are areas in your life you can cut back a bit financially in order to take less DS work to pursue other things.

Plaid: That’s possible. I enjoy writing for them at my own pace, and I’ve learned a lot, but the pressure is making me a little crazy. Not much I can cut back on at this point, though.

Miss Michele: If the bills are credit cards, can you call for lower interest rates? Consolidate? Downgrade anything?

Plaid: LOL, I wish. I’m even washing clothes by hand.

Serenity Bly: *chuckles* I love coupling Dawn’s ‘practicality’ with my ‘trusting fate’. *grins*

Mysti: Here’s what I’m getting. If you can spend 45 minutes a day applying for gigs that will produce a better (time/income ratio) living, you will open the doors while continuing to push forward with DS.

Miss Michele: Wow, okay you’ve cut back as much as you can. So yes… now’s when you have to simply trust fate. Even if you make one day a week, or 30 minutes a day too look for other things.

Serenity Bly: *ponders* Washing clothes by hand may be counter-productive. Does it take you more time to wash by hand? Could you have used that time to make more money? Would what you have made in the time it took to wash clothes have more than covered the expense of running the washing machine?

Miss Michele: Now I’m in Mysti’s in my head. lol

Plaid: I feel that a cork will pop open when Stamats finally pays me for the work I’ve done. I’m wondering if it’s time to end my nine-year relationship with them.

Serenity Bly: That’s where leverage and outsourcing really finds its head. In learning the value of your time. Sometimes it really does make more sense to spend a little so that someone or something else can do jobs you can’t do as effectively as you can do others.

Mysti: And Beth – it feels to me that there’s something out there – feels to be blogging related, by the way, that you are missing or need to really look for. It’ll bring in a steady income, won’t take too much of your time and will allow for more balance between writing and living

Miss Michele: Are you continuing to work for Stamats without pay? I mean, with them not paying you yet?

Plaid: Nope, they just owe me for 2 stories. My assignments through them have dropped to a trickle this year, I know my professional landscape is changing

Serenity Bly: You could get very persistent about the money they owe you.

Miss Michele: Ouch… Yeah, that will help a lot I’m sure. As far as whether you continue for them — YES! Spend at LEAST 15 minutes each day harassing them in one way or another.

Serenity Bly: Well, I’d spend 5 every other day. Because don’t forget, your time is valuable. If you spend 15 minutes every day over four days that’s an hour you could have spent earning money elsewhere. But an email, two days later, a reminder, two days later, reconfirm any specific aspects mentioned in your contract, two days later, specify your intention to take legal action, etc. And keep stepping up the pressure depending on their response or lack of. The trouble is, yes, money is tight (that’s universally true at the moment btw) but their integrity and good relations is on the line. By not paying you money owed they are devaluing you. YOU are worthy of being a priority on their books.

Miss Michele: I wouldn’t say tell them you quit… but certainly drift away from them… as seems to be happening anyway.
-> Serenity is right. There is no need to burn a bridge or even step back. If they’ve always paid in the past, be honest with them; tell them WHY you need the money. It totally depends the relationship you had w/ the editor beforehand, but do whatever it takes.

Plaid: I’ve emailed my editor… again. Hopefully, something will break soon! Their downturn is due to the economy, our relationship remains good.

Miss Michele: I’d love to pursue a little of what Mysti said about blogging… Plaid, are you considering any prospects like that?

Plaid: Good ideas, all. I’ll keep hammering. Maybe if I sent them a pic of the kitties staring into a food dish, LOL. Who am I kidding? They’ll always get fed, one way or the other. I haven’t looked into any blog openings. But I can see now that I MUST rework my writing schedule so I can have full days to myself again.

Mysti: It’s vital for your well being, Beth

Miss Michele: And the potential is out there. That Nine of Pentacles on the horizon, combined with the High Priestess, shows you always DO take care of it all, and will continue to.

Plaid: This is true. I’ve tried to adopt the thought, Life flows as it goes, and just ride it out. Then I get stressed. But at this point, my Panic Button is broken. I’m right at that point, where I’m ready to jump off the cliff into the next adventure. That calm before the bungee. lol

Mysti: By blog related, looks like a site that’s constantly building, growing, increasing information – can see new pieces added often, check b5media. I see linking on the right side of the site, seeing greens, blacks, touch of purples, text and images on the left side. It is constantly being added to. It feels very much like b5 — there’s strong structure and a stable calendar that goes with what is required. There is some pressure with it, but far less than you’ve felt with other positions of the writing type. It seems to be a close group, working together.

Miss Michele: Wow you’re actually SEEING it? That’s so cool.

Mysti: Okay, apparently I’m not allowed to search out the particular blog for you. Four times I’ve tried – four times it’s crashed.

Plaid: Ah well, the universe has always wanted me to find my own path, but thanks for trying, Mysti! It would be awesome if I could make this happen. So many people in power have dangled opportunities in front of me and they’ve never materialized. It is time to take hold of my own camel knees and make them work for me!

Serenity Bly: YES! BETH! Definitely!

Plaid: Thanks, guys, for the encouragement. I was beaten as low as I could go today, I really needed this.

At Future-Tarot, we’ve been working hard to create new and exciting opportunities for lovers of Tarot. We’re constantly trying to find ways to interest our readers and in keeping with our mission to provide value for you we’re launching the Future-Tarot Mailing List.

Mailing List subscribers qualify for special opportunities, offers, and discounts along with our new newsletter and occasional messages.

Remember those special loyalty cards at your favorite cafe or video store? Future-Tarot now offers a special reward for loyal customers. Simply order any five tarot readings between January 1st and December 31st and you’ll receive a free Celtic Cross Spread valued at $25USD.