A Collective Awakening

My thoughts on channeling our frustration to build a better future that we can all support

I was going to post something I wrote a while ago about manifestation, but after the events of the last couple weeks, I just couldn’t do it. The Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade (among other controversial and divisive rulings) combined with frightening findings from the January 6th hearings had me reeling.

The following is a collection of my feelings and observations, processing just one theory as to why the political environment in our country is so broken. I’m not a political expert or a professional debater, but Lord knows I talk about it enough with friends and family. I hope that by putting my thoughts out there, it may provide some perspective and maybe spark some good conversations.

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If you know me, you know that I grew up talking about politics long before I was old enough to vote. My family is a Democratic anomaly in my hometown, a historically German Catholic, mostly Republican community in rural Pennsylvania. So, I grew up arguing about this stuff with pretty much everyone around me. This gave me a unique perspective as I sought to refine my arguments and find nuance in the opinions that differed from mine.

That nuance is sorely lacking in American politics, which is fertile ground for division to thrive. I believe this division is a major contributing factor to the broken systems and processes that have always been there. Real change or compromise rarely happens, or policy shifts back and forth depending on which party has the majority at the time. Of course, this comes as no surprise to those who have been historically oppressed and marginalized, but we’ve reached an inflection point. Now, even those with some level of privilege whose lives were largely unaffected by upholding the status quo are finding it harder to ignore the fatal flaws that exist.

We operate in a two-party duopoly that feeds on division and minimizes compromise. Our elected representatives are not allowed to negotiate bills on the House floor, a precedent that started when Paul Ryan was Speaker of the House and has continued ever since. Those who tow the party line and vote the way they’re told (many times without even reading the bill) are rewarded and supported in their reelection campaigns by the leadership within their respective party. Basically, they’re encouraged NOT to compromise, which ensures that little gets done, but many of the same people stay in power anyway.

Side note: I got some of this information from a podcast with Andrew Yang and Justin Amash, which you can listen to at the video linked below. In addition to the fascinating insight, this is a great example of two people with very different ideologies finding common ground.

Third parties are not allowed to take the debate stage unless they secure 15% of the vote, which is nearly impossible to obtain when those who would support them are told that their vote is “wasted” on someone who can’t win. As a result, we have the recurring problem of choosing the “lesser of two evils.” Extreme views on both sides are elevated as the evil to be avoided, which means we believe the absolute worst of the other side, creating further division. Ultimately, it preserves the two-party system and lets them operate unchecked with little to no accountability. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this divide persists in the Supreme Court, which is supposed to be nonpartisan and impartial.

These toxic dynamics ensure that partisan politics override the will of the people, which is far more balanced than the current system and biased media (on both sides) would have us believe. The diverse spectrum of views within each political party should be a clue that we contain multitudes that are not fully represented by just two parties. Continuing to pit people against each other and create false dichotomies takes away our collective power.

I’ve been hearing many astrologers talking about the first U.S. Pluto Return this year, which is typically associated with massive upheaval and change, hopefully for the better. Whether you believe in astrology or not, it’s very clear that we’re in the middle of a huge shift. We’re being forced to reckon with the systems of money, power, and authority and let go of what’s no longer working for the common good.

Here are some process changes that I would love to see that I think people on both sides of the aisle could support:

• Term limits for Congress and Supreme Court justices

• Allow bills to be negotiated on the House floor once again, and make bills readable (Hat tip to Justin Amash, who brought this up in the podcast I mentioned)

• Overturn Citizens United, which would enforce campaign finance restrictions to limit the power of corporations to influence our elected officials

• Open debates to allow multiple parties to participate

Will these changes solve all our problems? No.

Are they easy changes to make? Also, no.

I’m a fan of continuous, incremental improvement, but in a time when things are shifting dramatically and consequential decisions are being made that impact our immediate future, I believe this is a critical time to restore respectful dialogue in our legislative process and the vision of a “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. :) Let’s get the conversation started! But you know, I’m human, too. So please keep it respectful.

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A Tarot Message for Current Events

The day Roe v. Wade was overturned, like many tarot readers, I grabbed a deck and started shuffling. While not an answer to the world’s problems, it helps to gain perspective and have a healthy distraction from the chaos.

To be honest, I debated sharing this. Many of us are still processing this ruling and what it means for our future, and I didn’t want to bypass those emotions or experiences. But the more I thought about the overarching message that the cards conveyed, the more I felt it captured and validated our country’s collective energy.

Two cards jumped out together: 5 of Cups and 6 of Wands. Then I pulled a clarifier, Strength. What the heck does all this mean? Let’s discuss.

The cards I pulled the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, from The Field Tarot.

5 of Cups is a card of sorrow, disappointment, and mourning what has been spilled. Yes, there are other cups still standing, but it’s still important to take the time to feel through the disappointment of what has been lost. This heavy energy most accurately captured my feelings about the day, and many others I know.

6 of Wands is a card of celebration, recognition, accomplishment, and pausing to see how far we’ve come. This confused me as I was caught in my own 5 of Cups moment. I thought of those who see this moment as a victory, even if I don’t agree. I also remembered that the same day, we finally passed some bipartisan gun reform. Even with the extreme division that we see in our current political system, I felt a small glimmer of hope to see that we are capable of compromise. When we feel defeated, it’s okay to seek out or celebrate the small wins and good moments wherever we can, even when it feels wrong or counterintuitive.

Pamela Coleman Smith’s representation of Strength

Strength represents a soft, inviting energy that comes from within. It feels more like gentle coaxing than overcoming by force, but is equally if not more powerful. The imagery by Pamela Coleman Smith in the Smith Rider Waite tarot depicts a woman in white robes taming a wild lion. Imagine the kind of courage it takes to confront something most people would run away from and conquer it peacefully. It reminded me that our most important battles require compromise and a genuine invitation for all sides to have their say. Who has ever convinced someone that they’re wrong by insulting their intelligence and telling them that they’re an idiot? Exactly no one. Many times, people agree on a goal or vision, but disagree on how to get there. If we approach it with a spirit of curiosity, we may find that the lion isn’t as wild or ferocious as we thought.

If I had to summarize the overarching message of these cards, it’s this:

“Take the time to process, however you feel. Celebrate the good and embrace joy, which gives us the strength to keep fighting for a better future.”

Does this resonate with you? What else are the cards saying to you? Let me know!

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The Overshare Zone

Thoughts for now, whether you want to hear it or or not.

Learning: About perspectives that differ from my own. In the spirit of today’s topic, I’m noticing what viewpoints make me bristle and taking the time to read more and hear out their arguments, even if I don’t agree. As an Enneagram 9 (Mediator/Peacemaker) with a South Node in Libra, understanding other viewpoints comes easily to me. But if I’m not careful, others’ views eclipse my own, and I descend into self-forgetting instead of checking in to see what truly resonates with me. With this self-awareness, I’m keenly aware of the delicate balance required to find validity in other perspectives while also thinking critically, recognizing logical fallacies, and staying grounded and true to my values. Once I do figure out what I think, I tend to have strong opinions and settle into stubbornness, so it’s still a consistent practice to intentionally seek out other views and recognize my biases.

Doing Differently: The last couple weeks, I’ve been challenging myself to do my tarot readings with decks other than the traditional Smith Rider Waite (SRW). I always gravitated toward the SRW because the rich symbolism in Pamela Coleman Smith’s illustrations helped me remember the meanings, especially in the beginning stages of learning the tarot. Since then, I’ve amassed a small collection of tarot decks because I loved the artwork, but they often go unused as I reach for what’s comfortable. Now that I have a more solid foundation in the tarot and the meanings of each card, I’m branching out to see how I connect with different decks and how the fresh new images spark my intuition.

Thinking About: Re-homing the tarot decks that don’t make it into my regular rotation once I’ve given each one the time it deserves. I’ll let you know what’s up for grabs once my experiment concludes if you’re interested.

Looking Forward To: Two weeks of family vacation coming up later this month. Before our trip to Disney back in May, I hadn’t been on a plane since just before the shutdowns started in March 2020. Even though the pandemic isn’t truly over, I’m thankful for a return to some semblance of normal.