ADJUSTMENT
When my kids were young, the hardest part of the day was right before dinnertime. They tended to squabble and taunt one another; I tended to yell and lecture. Usually after dinner things settled down somewhat and we could coast on into bedtime. As four siblings, my kids know the principles of sharing. And I know that effective parenting techniques do not include yelling and lecturing. But for all us, what we know leaves us when we are hungry and tired. That is because we are out of balance and in need of an adjustment.
Adjustment is the #8 card of the Major Arcana. It is often called Justice and in some decks appears as the #11 card. This card is about clear thinking and clear-headed decision making. The kind of vision that is only granted to us when we are in balance.
Often it is difficult to recognize when we are in need of an adjustment. If you happened to come by my house on that day when as I was trying to fix dinner and asked me what was wrong, chances are my response would have been “my kids are driving me crazy!” And I would have believed it, too. But, quiz me ½ hour later after I had eaten, and I might have been able to chuckle and say, “I feel much better now; I guess I was hungry.” Often we don't know we are in need of adjustment until it has been made and we are in balance once again. Indeed, feeling stuck, unable to make a decision, or simply fuzzy-headed are symptoms of needing an adjustment. Another strong indication is a tendency to blame or want to change another person or element of the situation. This is what I call faulty thinking, because you are thinking that it's someone else's fault! If you are in a state of mind where you are trying to adjust anything and everything BUT you, then you are in need of Adjustment energy.
The Adjustment card can help you to shift the attention back to yourself so you can make the adjustment necessary to bring you into balance.
So, let's get to it. How do we know what adjustment to make when we are out of balance? Basically, I have a check list. What I want is balance among all aspects of myself – the physical, the emotional and the spiritual. So, I go down the list. Physical – I ask myself, “am I tired; have I been skipping meals and/or junk-fooding it; have I been getting enough exercise?” It's amazing what a good night's rest can do for one's perspective, thus the expression “let me sleep on it.” Next the emotional. I ask myself, “have I been working too much? Do I make time for myself to have fun, to gather with friends, to have a heart-to-heart with a confidante?” If I am lonely or feeling cut off, or if I haven't had a chance to vent or to process, I cannot make a clear decision. And last (but not least) is Spiritual. I check in to see if I have been running around like a hamster on a wheel. I ask myself, “have I meditated recently? Do I feel connected to the Earth, and to the Cosmos?” Finally, I give myself time to adjust before I attempt to make a decision.
When we incorporate the wisdom of the Adjustment card, we begin to see the significance of perspective and of self-care. Sometimes, things are not what they may seem to us. In order to make the best decisions for ourselves, and for those who will be affected, we must be willing to hold off on important decisions until we have clarity, and we must be willing to make the necessary adjustments to create the balance necessary for clarity.
posted by Amanda at 10:48 AM
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