I have been thinking about the first question you ask Jenna, quite a lot since I read this, for many reasons. My last post included...
The more I’ve thought about it the more I réalise I wouldn’t change a thing... I grumble incessantly here and everywhere about my lack of time to do anything I really want to and yet here I am, squeezing in a comment on a letter I always love between eating my evening meal and clearing it away again... and in my heart and soul if I know that if I didn’t have a life that had to be taken in tiny bites each one different, family-work-animals-garden-maintenance-housework-creativity, I would create one just the same (minus so much rain of course!) because I love it this way - I feel alive and worthy of being so despite being untrained in any of one of these spheres.
Whether I accomplish all parts of my life with talent..? Probably not but I do my best and always with love... 🙏🏽♥️
Oh, Susie, this is magnificent! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ You have created the life you love (even with the grumbling, because that's part of it). This is so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes. I love the way you describe it as taking life in tiny, unique bites. Talent shmalent. You have an inner brilliance that allows you to clearly see your whole life as a work of art that YOU created. You are a master artist, my friend. Your comment here has truly uplifted me. Thank you!
I love this pair Jenna! I can taste that sweet love nectar on my tongue 🥰 this reminds me of the importance of action and how bringing our creative visions (from the crown) to this 3D world (to the root) as I believe art to be as an offering of deep service. Thank you for this beautiful gift and sharing your beautiful gifts 🤍
I just read your post with tips and resources for HSPs and at the beginning, you used the phrase "art of service". I LOVE that! Instead of act of service, art of service. Creation as an offering, as an act of love. Really, in its fullest expression, love is a verb (not something I have, but something I do). This is the art that makes our lives into masterpieces. Thank you for all of this, Christine! Blessings to you!
This is such a great one Jenna, I really want to set the intention of recreating that joy of creativity for next year, this is a beautiful prompt for that.
Thank you, Louise! I'm on the same page as you...I'm thinking of making this my personal focus for next year. How fun that we'll be doing that together! ❤️❤️❤️
Love this: I believe this is a call to return to our pure, original reasons for wanting to create in the first place…to remember the delight, the joy, the passion, and the aching beauty in our desire to create; a time before we got caught up in outcome or monetizing our creations.
This week's Archetype and Tarot and your interpretation could become banner reading for all Substackers.
I am especially drawn to this pair and what you show us.
I often wonder what the world would be if the 'artist' were more valued. Of course, the philosopher in me goes right to the question, why are we (humans) so afraid of the creative impulse? You give us not only permission but the eyes to see and the way to embrace our creative essence. Thank you!
What a sweetly, divinely timed inspiration and will be the focus of this week's walking meditations for me.
Thank you, Renee! Your sweet words warm my heart. ❤️🤗 One of my teachers said that our fear of the creative impulse actually lies in our fear of empowerment. It becomes a deeply radical sort of responsibility when we own how powerful our ability to create really is. I haven't spent much time pondering that (but I will now!) so I can't say if it resonates with me or not. I suspect there's something deeper there, something underlying both the fear of the creative impulse and the fear of empowerment. Perhaps, at the root, is a fear of being alone. If everyone was empowered and no one "needed" anyone, would we still choose one another? Thank you, as always, for stirring both my heart and mind!
Yes, and what if the empowerment lies in true voluntary dependency. The ability to work with...the choice of saying I don’t know, but with you I stand a better chance. And what if that increased mutual agency keeps expanding outward...
I love this, Bertus! Voluntary dependency and mutual agency...those are the best phrases I've read today! Yes. When I'm whole and you're whole, power is balanced in relationship. In fact, when I'm whole and you're whole, we can turn the creative impulse towards relationship and, as you said, keep expanding it outward. In that light, empowerment is not something to fear at all.
Wow. Much arises here about fear of empowerment, the creative impulse, mutual dependency and agency (I've articulated this differently than Bertus did). There was a time in the human being that these were not feared. They just were. The Domination Paradigm pushed mutual empowerment, interdependency, agency, and creativity aside in favor of external authority. We see the hangover of this reaching its nadir today. Hang on humans, the creative impulse is alive and well and promises to sew us into the fine cloth of interrelational unfolding!
YES! ❤️ As you know, this is my whole reason for being, to help usher this relational way in. As bleak as it may seem at times, we'll get there. And I believe we'll see that the creative impulse is informed and strengthened by all that's come before. So, no regrets!
I'd say you are taking our hand with such warmth and care, ushering us straight into we-ness, that we are bound to get there!
Yes, I am with you on this: no regrets. Nothing is accidental. As the late visionary and cultural historian, Thomas Berry, urged, "We were chosen by some power beyond ourselves for this task. . . . The nobility of our lives, however, depends upon the manner in which we come to understand and fulfill our assigned role. Yet we must believe that those powers that assign our role must in that same act bestow upon us the ability to fulfill this role. We must believe that we are cared for and guided by these same powers that bring us into being." (The Great Work).
This is crazy! Well, I guess powerful is the better word!
The cards echo exactly what has been going on in my mind and soul. I have already been pondering the questions you posed Jenna, for weeks this exact thing has been in my mind. Now I will take the ideas much deeper to gain the clarity I need, I already feel it is coming.
Brilliant as always Jenna ♥️ I feel like this message is especially potent coming towards the end of the year and thinking about the next. I know I’ve been starting to think about what goals and paths I want to explore next year. This feels like a nudge to get really authentic and make sure that whatever creative goals we’re considering are coming from a place of love and excitement rather than people pleasing.
Yes! I love that you brought up the new year plans here. I hadn't thought of that, but you're so right. We can start off next year on the right foot, with a path of joy laid out before us. 🤗 I'm excited to see what unfolds for you next year!
I love the King of Cups with the Artist! That deep well of feeling to draw upon as inspiration, fueling the creativity! An unfurling of pure delight! With the KofC there feels less of a tendency to fall into self-doubt for there is a direct flow. For me as an artist when in the shadow I tend towards self-doubt. But I love the KofC here for it lands on me as this beautiful vulnerability that is able to capture the depth of something that might not be ordinarily seen. Really enjoyed this combo.
I love this, Julie..."this beautiful vulnerability that is able to capture the depth of something that might not be ordinarily seen." I'm with you that my shadow tends towards self-doubt, or lack of motivation (which probably stems from self-doubt anyway). When I can remember to "unfurl" (love that word!) the delight, it just feels like fun. How can I not be motivated when I frame it like that? Thank you for your wonderful insights here! ❤️
YES!!!! I drew an oracle card today with the intention of asking what I needed to know to remove the creative block I've been dealing with around music -- no shortage of ideas by far, but a fear of executing. This periodically has happened over the years. I drew The Cosmic Egg, which confirmed what I had told myself a few weeks ago, and also what was said in here just in a different way. The ultimate answer was literally nothing -- to not force and allow these new works to come to their gestation, as a pregnancy would. I'm still creating/recording the songs, but that was a reminder to not be holding myself under this weird deadline that no one assigned and no one gives a shit about, that always creates a block, shame-based and scarcity-based self inflicted pressure. Thank you for this!!!
Oh my gosh, I do the self-imposed deadlines all the time too! And it always blocks me up. Thank YOU for bringing up this insight. We don't need these deadlines. Like you said, let the creativity gestate, flow at the speed it wants to. I so needed that today! ❤️
Oh Jenna! This is so beautiful. Firstly I thought of my Mumma who, in my opinion was a creative genius - in art, craft, cooking, the garden, you name it, she was able to see it and create it.
Secondly I was captivated by your line "The one that has a need to create on a SOUL LEVEL". It really takes creating to another level when said like that, doesn't it?! When the ego, the doubts, the "I'm not good enoughs" are put aside, the SOUL can sing, create, dance, make, etc in a way that illuminates all to see and bare witness too. I have an image of a RIVER OF INSPIRATION that flows when one creates as you describe. And those that are lucky enough to sit by that River will receive such nourishment, refreshments, and soothing life- changing moments that when they leave the River their lives will be richer for the experience.
Also I love the idea that the King of Cups is filling my creative cup in a way that invites me to sup from PURITY and WHOLENESS. Sometimes I get caught up in "lack of talent" and then when I imagined I was drinking from this cup I felt whole and expanded, clear and my eyes began to see in a different way. I will hold onto that image throughout this week.
So beautiful, Sam, thank you! I love your image of a river of inspiration. It helps me feel like I can totally let go...of striving and control...and just float on that river while creativity flows through me. That's gorgeous!
Hi Miriam! 🤗 I was just telling Bertus in the comment below that a deck is something I've been thinking about. I have the very beginnings of the guidebook in the works and would like to have a deck of archetype cards and a tarot deck to go with it. Just today I was imagining the theme for the tarot deck too. Thank you for asking me about this!
I think you’ll do great with it. I would definitely grab one! I have a penguin deck because I love penguins and I hired an artist from Fiverr. It’s a big investment but one well worth it.
Do you have a particular artist from Fiverr that you'd recommend (if it feels good to share)? I've worked with a couple of artists there for book covers and was not happy with the work. But I love your penguin deck!
Aww thank you. Unfortunately I don’t think the one who designed mine works there anymore. However my suggestion is that look for the highest rating artists there and look at the reviews and portfolio.
One chalice a day...I love it! 😁 I use a deck of archetype cards that I got from Caroline Myss for the sake of the random draw, but the interpretations are pretty much my own at this point. I would LOVE to create my own deck (as well as tarot deck to go with it in a lovely boxed set with accompanying book). If only I knew a visual artist to partner up with on such a project. I don't suppose you'd have time for such an endeavor? ❤️
Haha, the first thought that popped up, I’m not good enough to create something like that! I have thought about completing my own Tarot deck too, but to make another fifty cards was too much. I must say I feel a pull towards creating those images. And I’d probably love your input and lead too.
My heart lies with painting, more than the ink drawings. I do think the archetypes are more difficult to find expressions for. Open enough, suggestive and rich. Really adding to the descriptions, complementing them. Not easy at all.
I am a big fan of the Mary El Tarot, love the imagery. And it’s somewhat close to my ‘style’ if I even have one.
How many Archetypes do you have in mind?
Not that I’m applying for the job, just to get an idea. I do think you should try and see if a deck is possible; if it wants to be created. The interaction with the tarot deck is so good.
Thank you so much for replying! The Mary-El deck is my very favorite one. It's my go-to for personal readings. The imagery is so rich, I can just stare at it for hours. Would it be okay if I emailed you? I have SO much to say!
Hell yes, love those bulky letters that hardly fit the mailbox! bertusjanmeijer @ the google one...or just drop by for some tea whenever you’re near....
"They are often willing to take risks and push boundaries in order to create something new and unique, offering innovations and new perspectives to the world."
- Inevitably creating uproar among the aristocracy (oligarchs). Had to add the fun part :)
I have been thinking about the first question you ask Jenna, quite a lot since I read this, for many reasons. My last post included...
The more I’ve thought about it the more I réalise I wouldn’t change a thing... I grumble incessantly here and everywhere about my lack of time to do anything I really want to and yet here I am, squeezing in a comment on a letter I always love between eating my evening meal and clearing it away again... and in my heart and soul if I know that if I didn’t have a life that had to be taken in tiny bites each one different, family-work-animals-garden-maintenance-housework-creativity, I would create one just the same (minus so much rain of course!) because I love it this way - I feel alive and worthy of being so despite being untrained in any of one of these spheres.
Whether I accomplish all parts of my life with talent..? Probably not but I do my best and always with love... 🙏🏽♥️
Oh, Susie, this is magnificent! ❤️❤️❤️❤️ You have created the life you love (even with the grumbling, because that's part of it). This is so beautiful, it brings tears to my eyes. I love the way you describe it as taking life in tiny, unique bites. Talent shmalent. You have an inner brilliance that allows you to clearly see your whole life as a work of art that YOU created. You are a master artist, my friend. Your comment here has truly uplifted me. Thank you!
I love this pair Jenna! I can taste that sweet love nectar on my tongue 🥰 this reminds me of the importance of action and how bringing our creative visions (from the crown) to this 3D world (to the root) as I believe art to be as an offering of deep service. Thank you for this beautiful gift and sharing your beautiful gifts 🤍
I just read your post with tips and resources for HSPs and at the beginning, you used the phrase "art of service". I LOVE that! Instead of act of service, art of service. Creation as an offering, as an act of love. Really, in its fullest expression, love is a verb (not something I have, but something I do). This is the art that makes our lives into masterpieces. Thank you for all of this, Christine! Blessings to you!
This is such a great one Jenna, I really want to set the intention of recreating that joy of creativity for next year, this is a beautiful prompt for that.
Thank you, Louise! I'm on the same page as you...I'm thinking of making this my personal focus for next year. How fun that we'll be doing that together! ❤️❤️❤️
Absolutely Jenna, I definitely need the accountability for that! 🥰
Love this: I believe this is a call to return to our pure, original reasons for wanting to create in the first place…to remember the delight, the joy, the passion, and the aching beauty in our desire to create; a time before we got caught up in outcome or monetizing our creations.
Thank you so much, Grace! 🤗💕 I've been trying to remind myself of this every day. It's hard not to think about outcome, though, but I'm working on it.
Jenna,
This week's Archetype and Tarot and your interpretation could become banner reading for all Substackers.
I am especially drawn to this pair and what you show us.
I often wonder what the world would be if the 'artist' were more valued. Of course, the philosopher in me goes right to the question, why are we (humans) so afraid of the creative impulse? You give us not only permission but the eyes to see and the way to embrace our creative essence. Thank you!
What a sweetly, divinely timed inspiration and will be the focus of this week's walking meditations for me.
Thank you, Renee! Your sweet words warm my heart. ❤️🤗 One of my teachers said that our fear of the creative impulse actually lies in our fear of empowerment. It becomes a deeply radical sort of responsibility when we own how powerful our ability to create really is. I haven't spent much time pondering that (but I will now!) so I can't say if it resonates with me or not. I suspect there's something deeper there, something underlying both the fear of the creative impulse and the fear of empowerment. Perhaps, at the root, is a fear of being alone. If everyone was empowered and no one "needed" anyone, would we still choose one another? Thank you, as always, for stirring both my heart and mind!
Yes, and what if the empowerment lies in true voluntary dependency. The ability to work with...the choice of saying I don’t know, but with you I stand a better chance. And what if that increased mutual agency keeps expanding outward...
I love this, Bertus! Voluntary dependency and mutual agency...those are the best phrases I've read today! Yes. When I'm whole and you're whole, power is balanced in relationship. In fact, when I'm whole and you're whole, we can turn the creative impulse towards relationship and, as you said, keep expanding it outward. In that light, empowerment is not something to fear at all.
Wow. Much arises here about fear of empowerment, the creative impulse, mutual dependency and agency (I've articulated this differently than Bertus did). There was a time in the human being that these were not feared. They just were. The Domination Paradigm pushed mutual empowerment, interdependency, agency, and creativity aside in favor of external authority. We see the hangover of this reaching its nadir today. Hang on humans, the creative impulse is alive and well and promises to sew us into the fine cloth of interrelational unfolding!
YES! ❤️ As you know, this is my whole reason for being, to help usher this relational way in. As bleak as it may seem at times, we'll get there. And I believe we'll see that the creative impulse is informed and strengthened by all that's come before. So, no regrets!
I'd say you are taking our hand with such warmth and care, ushering us straight into we-ness, that we are bound to get there!
Yes, I am with you on this: no regrets. Nothing is accidental. As the late visionary and cultural historian, Thomas Berry, urged, "We were chosen by some power beyond ourselves for this task. . . . The nobility of our lives, however, depends upon the manner in which we come to understand and fulfill our assigned role. Yet we must believe that those powers that assign our role must in that same act bestow upon us the ability to fulfill this role. We must believe that we are cared for and guided by these same powers that bring us into being." (The Great Work).
Thank you for your devotion to your role!
This is crazy! Well, I guess powerful is the better word!
The cards echo exactly what has been going on in my mind and soul. I have already been pondering the questions you posed Jenna, for weeks this exact thing has been in my mind. Now I will take the ideas much deeper to gain the clarity I need, I already feel it is coming.
Thank you❤❤
Yay! Thank you, Donna! I can't wait to talk more about this and hear what creative delights you're invoking. ❤️
Brilliant as always Jenna ♥️ I feel like this message is especially potent coming towards the end of the year and thinking about the next. I know I’ve been starting to think about what goals and paths I want to explore next year. This feels like a nudge to get really authentic and make sure that whatever creative goals we’re considering are coming from a place of love and excitement rather than people pleasing.
Yes! I love that you brought up the new year plans here. I hadn't thought of that, but you're so right. We can start off next year on the right foot, with a path of joy laid out before us. 🤗 I'm excited to see what unfolds for you next year!
I love the King of Cups with the Artist! That deep well of feeling to draw upon as inspiration, fueling the creativity! An unfurling of pure delight! With the KofC there feels less of a tendency to fall into self-doubt for there is a direct flow. For me as an artist when in the shadow I tend towards self-doubt. But I love the KofC here for it lands on me as this beautiful vulnerability that is able to capture the depth of something that might not be ordinarily seen. Really enjoyed this combo.
I love this, Julie..."this beautiful vulnerability that is able to capture the depth of something that might not be ordinarily seen." I'm with you that my shadow tends towards self-doubt, or lack of motivation (which probably stems from self-doubt anyway). When I can remember to "unfurl" (love that word!) the delight, it just feels like fun. How can I not be motivated when I frame it like that? Thank you for your wonderful insights here! ❤️
YES!!!! I drew an oracle card today with the intention of asking what I needed to know to remove the creative block I've been dealing with around music -- no shortage of ideas by far, but a fear of executing. This periodically has happened over the years. I drew The Cosmic Egg, which confirmed what I had told myself a few weeks ago, and also what was said in here just in a different way. The ultimate answer was literally nothing -- to not force and allow these new works to come to their gestation, as a pregnancy would. I'm still creating/recording the songs, but that was a reminder to not be holding myself under this weird deadline that no one assigned and no one gives a shit about, that always creates a block, shame-based and scarcity-based self inflicted pressure. Thank you for this!!!
Oh my gosh, I do the self-imposed deadlines all the time too! And it always blocks me up. Thank YOU for bringing up this insight. We don't need these deadlines. Like you said, let the creativity gestate, flow at the speed it wants to. I so needed that today! ❤️
Oh Jenna! This is so beautiful. Firstly I thought of my Mumma who, in my opinion was a creative genius - in art, craft, cooking, the garden, you name it, she was able to see it and create it.
Secondly I was captivated by your line "The one that has a need to create on a SOUL LEVEL". It really takes creating to another level when said like that, doesn't it?! When the ego, the doubts, the "I'm not good enoughs" are put aside, the SOUL can sing, create, dance, make, etc in a way that illuminates all to see and bare witness too. I have an image of a RIVER OF INSPIRATION that flows when one creates as you describe. And those that are lucky enough to sit by that River will receive such nourishment, refreshments, and soothing life- changing moments that when they leave the River their lives will be richer for the experience.
Also I love the idea that the King of Cups is filling my creative cup in a way that invites me to sup from PURITY and WHOLENESS. Sometimes I get caught up in "lack of talent" and then when I imagined I was drinking from this cup I felt whole and expanded, clear and my eyes began to see in a different way. I will hold onto that image throughout this week.
Thank you Jenna xxx
So beautiful, Sam, thank you! I love your image of a river of inspiration. It helps me feel like I can totally let go...of striving and control...and just float on that river while creativity flows through me. That's gorgeous!
I do love these. Have you considered creating your own tarot deck with these archetypes?
Hi Miriam! 🤗 I was just telling Bertus in the comment below that a deck is something I've been thinking about. I have the very beginnings of the guidebook in the works and would like to have a deck of archetype cards and a tarot deck to go with it. Just today I was imagining the theme for the tarot deck too. Thank you for asking me about this!
I think you’ll do great with it. I would definitely grab one! I have a penguin deck because I love penguins and I hired an artist from Fiverr. It’s a big investment but one well worth it.
Do you have a particular artist from Fiverr that you'd recommend (if it feels good to share)? I've worked with a couple of artists there for book covers and was not happy with the work. But I love your penguin deck!
Aww thank you. Unfortunately I don’t think the one who designed mine works there anymore. However my suggestion is that look for the highest rating artists there and look at the reviews and portfolio.
Yes, one chalice a day!
Are your Archetypes in a deck of cards too? I love the descriptions...and wonder about the imagery
One chalice a day...I love it! 😁 I use a deck of archetype cards that I got from Caroline Myss for the sake of the random draw, but the interpretations are pretty much my own at this point. I would LOVE to create my own deck (as well as tarot deck to go with it in a lovely boxed set with accompanying book). If only I knew a visual artist to partner up with on such a project. I don't suppose you'd have time for such an endeavor? ❤️
Haha, the first thought that popped up, I’m not good enough to create something like that! I have thought about completing my own Tarot deck too, but to make another fifty cards was too much. I must say I feel a pull towards creating those images. And I’d probably love your input and lead too.
My heart lies with painting, more than the ink drawings. I do think the archetypes are more difficult to find expressions for. Open enough, suggestive and rich. Really adding to the descriptions, complementing them. Not easy at all.
I am a big fan of the Mary El Tarot, love the imagery. And it’s somewhat close to my ‘style’ if I even have one.
How many Archetypes do you have in mind?
Not that I’m applying for the job, just to get an idea. I do think you should try and see if a deck is possible; if it wants to be created. The interaction with the tarot deck is so good.
Thank you so much for replying! The Mary-El deck is my very favorite one. It's my go-to for personal readings. The imagery is so rich, I can just stare at it for hours. Would it be okay if I emailed you? I have SO much to say!
Hell yes, love those bulky letters that hardly fit the mailbox! bertusjanmeijer @ the google one...or just drop by for some tea whenever you’re near....
Yay, thank you! ❤️
"They are often willing to take risks and push boundaries in order to create something new and unique, offering innovations and new perspectives to the world."
- Inevitably creating uproar among the aristocracy (oligarchs). Had to add the fun part :)
😂 oh yes, for sure giving heartburn to those who don't want change! Please always feel welcome to add the fun parts!