New (to me) words

Around 2 years ago I started adding something new to my blog.  Not only thoughts about tarot,  but also thoughts about new (to me) ideas.  I made it a New Years resolution to read something new and perhaps unusual every month,  and then write it up, so we could share these ideas and new (to me) knowledge.  I've written about a variety of things - the Ruby Payne Chart, the Dunning-Kruger effect, Just in time vs Just in case - as well as others. I've enjoyed doing this and am continuing my learning journey. 

So todays thoughts are about the concepts telic and atelic. 

Telic activity is goal oriented,  atelic activity is for the moment,  with no goal necessary (also,  weirdly can mean revolting and disgusting - so activity with no goal becomes repulsive.  How's that for a twist!)  I walk to increase my step count (telic) I walk to wander in the woods (atelic).  My goal is to read 2 books a month (telic).  I just like to read  (atelic) 

If we become too goal oriented,  we lose sight of just being in the moment.  If we read 2 books but didn't like either of them,  what have we accomplished?  If we read one book over 2 months,  but we just love it,  is that enough?

Philosopher Kieran Setiya writes about the problem with telic activity,  especially as it pertains to aging. If you 'fail' at the goal (your walking/counting of steps didn't lead to weight loss) then the entire activity is a failure.  You have no satisfaction from the action,  only from the outcome.  Whereas atelic activities have no goal,  it's impossible to fail at them,  and you are doing them for the here and now.  I like walking,  I am walking,  walking is a pleasure for me.  No pressure and no purpose.   

It's akin to my problem with monetizing all our hobbies.  If you do something with no financial outcome - quilt,  make jewelry, write fanfic - people quite often will tell you you are wasting your time and should be out selling/marketing/promoting it to get ahead.  But all this goal oriented purpose driven activity can be crushing.  Let's just sit for a minute,  watch the birds,  see the fire crackle, walk the dog,  and let ourselves return to our bodies and get some peace. 

Seeing the now

Tarot is a way of exploring the present to understand what is going to happen in the future.  It doesn't 'predict' the future,  so much as look at what you are doing now and what that will create.  It looks at your ingredients and says,  this is the cake you are baking...  If you want a different cake,  you need to put different ingredients in! 

It does show you where your energy is strong - sometimes you want love,  but your love energy is weak and your work energy is strong - if you focus on work right now,  your rewards will be greater.  

It's not a way to say on June 15th so and so will happen.  And it's not really great on time - so it says soon,  but as humans,  we want soon to be now and waiting 5 months can feel like not so soon.  

One common question I get is when am I going to meet someone I love.  And if  you draw three cards and one of them is a strong relationship card,  I smile and say soon!  But sometimes you draw one card after another and a dozen cards later there is no relationship card.  Then I say,  you have to shift what you are doing in the present in order to bring that energy into your life.  If you keep doing what you are doing now,  it won't come in the foreseeable future. And then we discuss what else can be done.   

It's not set in stone - I always tell people you can change all of this,  but that requires some conscious action of your part,  which can be hard.   

Even if you draw wonderful cards,  work will be great, life is sunny,  and then you stop working hard,  because the outcome seems assured - that's when it stops.  

So a tarot reading is a way to take your temperature,  give yourself time to look at your life,  your desires,  your goals and what you can do to give yourself the best possible outcome.