Featured: The Injury and Healing Process
This spread deals with a deep hurt and the healing of it. The structure is a little like the story of gods and goddesses who expire and then revive – injury-death-rebirth-radiance. This session will usually take 45 minutes or an hour. If desired, you may include a 15 minute or half hour meditation or journey to deepen the connection to cards, animals or other energies that surfaced ruing the reading that feel most potent to you)
This layout is built from the bottom up.
bottom row – the injury and the first healing response
second row up – the deeper healing
third row up – the change and transformations that can occur
top row – something new
When you’re deeply injured, your body, mind and emotions will try to respond in ways to protect you. it can be anything from immediately forgetting a hurtful conversation, to lashing out at someone who has rejected or hurt you, to getting an extra dose of physical strength to run away from or fight off an attacker. If there’s something about the injury that’s profound and deep or if it connects to repeating cycles and patterns in your life, the healing has the potential to also be profound, to bring you into a new chapter in life, to grow healthier and saner. (I use the word sane to mean integrated, balanced and at peace with who you are.)
The Cards
Cards 1 & 2 are in the bottom row. The injury and first response happen so close together, it’s almost like one event. Card 1 is from a Tarot deck and describes a situation or event. Card 2 is from an Animal oracle, and speaks of something that helps you deal with the injury in the immediate aftermath.
Cards 3, 4 & 5*. The healing makes room for 3 cards). Healing is more than one action, feeling or insight, it’s like a complex stew or juicy unique recipe. Give it time, there are many parts to it. One Tarot and two Animal cards work well in describing the healing.
Cards 6 & 7*. How does the deep healing transform you and your life? 1 Tarot and 1 Animal card.
Card 8: A significant outcome if you do the work suggested in the previous cards.
*If you’re doing this spread for yourself, you may be tempted to choose more cards for this position. I recommend you take it slow. This is a meditative spread that can speak to you on so many levels. Be sure you don’t choose extra cards to hurry past a card that makes you uncomfortable or feels like it makes no sense.
Here’s an example reading I did for a client we’ll call Janice. It’s about an event that led to her feeling rejected and abandoned, which connected to many old wounds she thought she’d put behind her.
Card 1 (bottom row): 10 Disks – There’s been an incident that’s caused her to go out of sync, feel awkward and strange even to herself, drifting away from her own rhythm and disconnected from the groups she belongs to. Janice has been treated by others as if there’s no room for her to fit in, like her presence and expression are unwanted, even demonized and this has reignited feelings around the painful role of Reject that she inhabited in early childhood. This un-ease and sadness is playing out on several stages in her life. Card 2 (bottom row): Bear – Janice goes into the cave of her heart, she mulls over her feelings, she introspects to know herself better, she reaches out to Mother Nature and earth goddess spirits for love, safety, powerful protection and healing. She becomes stronger and begins to recover, but is isolated in her small healing cave.
Card 3 (second row up): The center card of this trio, the 6 of Swords ,is the card of leaving a situation that is going from bad to worse. It’s sometimes called the refugee card. The scene on the card represents the preparation of nomadic people packing up to leave what was once plentiful hunting grounds. They need to go where the animals roam and the plants grow so they can feed and nourish themselves. The Elk is killed for food to fortify them as they travel. There’s a strong, clear message for Janice here – Trying to fit in with the crowd or be accepted back into the fold where she feels unwanted is not wise. Sword cards represent mental energy. The 6 is about objective thinking while in crisis. If she looks at the big picture and consciously detaches from her emotions, she’ll probably realize that this particular situation doesn’t have anything to offer anymore except painful compromises or even bitterness and war. The message is that she must make a sacrifice in the present so she can go forth and find situations, helpers and opportunities that allow her to create a truly happy life. It hurts to leave, but it is wise. Trust the wisdom. Trust her clear thinking. Rather than mere survival, she can set happier goals of finding new ways to thrive well and creatively. The maxim Go where you are celebrated, now where you’re merely tolerated is a good one for Janice. She already has Bear mother with her, who’s helped her to stay in touch with her real feelings and thoughts. Cards 4 & 5 on the same row of Healing are. Badger and Dog. They join Bear. Badger is a champion digger and represents fierce determination to find the root of the matter. Many of the most revered tribal healers are called Badger Woman. Dog is about affection and loyalty, Dog craves to love and be loved. Badger medicine can give strength and determination to go forth and find people and situations that are simpatico. Using a wise sense of wariness, Janice can be cautious about getting involved with people or situations where there’s no true resonance. Badger & Dog are partners as healing guides in owning her desire and need for connection, while also having the strength and passion to keep digging and looking for the people and community who feel right and nourishing. Loyalty and love for herself is her guide. Janice is learning is that she has a true heart compass and can use it in finding her way to better relationships and community.
Cards 6 & 7 (third row up): What’s the deep change that can come from this healing, if she’s committed to and wants it? Well, it’s very intense. The Jaguar and The Tower. Both cards are about integrity and authenticity. The Tower represents a period of chaos, sometimes a meltdown. It’s always about tearing down structures that have become false, toxic or arrogant. It’s revolutionary rather than evolutionary. Destruction of old forms must take place. Janice’s most private self can undergo profound transformation and be inspired to perform acts of bravery at this time. This will definitely effects how she lives in the outer world as well as her inner experience. There’s often a complete reappraisal of a person’s priorities during the Tower experience. Janice has a strong animal ally! Jaguar is with her to complete this work, and guide her in being able to flourish in new environments, mastering circumstances while she hunts for what she needs, reclaims long lost personal power, and much more that hasn’t been revealed yet. Rather than longing for approval from others, she can become more centered and sure of her abilities to find her path and stay on it.
Card 8 (top row): The Knight of Cups gives a hint at what’s to come after this period of healing. In this deck there are no kings, so the knight is mature and steady. He’s the King of Compassion and Creativity. Janice’s life can continue to change because she honors her own heart and creativity when making choices and restructures her life accordingly. The Cups are about relationship, connection, sharing, sensuality, creativity. As she stays attuned to her intuition, she can find the flow of acting in accordance to her thoughts and feelings. This will probably bring big positive change to her work, creative and love life.