MUSING #13 : Flowing with Intuition

MUSE: Asking my INNER COMPASS cards “What should I muse about today?” Three cards presented themselves: FLOW, MONKEY, and EAGLE. 

MUSING: I have recently started using the INNER COMPASS deck after they were given to me as a birthday present. The deck works similarly to Tarot cards in that you ask a question and pull a card (or more) for an answer. Rather than revealing someone’s past/present/future, the COMPASS cards provide insights based an a variation of Eastern and Western Philosophies. Within the description of each card (found within a small booklet) and the abstract images on each card, the reader may find something that sparks an answer within themselves. Like Tarot it relies on intuition, and the idea that the answer given is always right, and whatever insights you gain from it is right. 

Since I was not sure what to write my musing on today, I decided to ask the cards after my morning meditation. I usually only pick one card, but I felt drawn to run my hand over the deck again and pull three in all. First I pulled FLOW which has ocean inspired imagery collected within a square outline. Next I pulled MONKEY, which has a brown inkblot image with two quills. And last I pulled EAGLE, who’s image resembles that of FLOW but with a mountain esthetic. Interestingly, these three cards are notes as coming from Mayan Wisdom, one of the seven areas of study the cards are based on. The fact that they shared this origins felt meaningful. 

FLOW is a card that I’ve pulled before and is a welcome remind when I feel stuck or anxious. I am a big believer in finding a flow in yourself and the world around you, rather than attempting to have control everything. This is seen in Taoism, which highlights an energy shared by all things and finding peace and happiness by tuning into the flow of this energy. Though I strive to attune myself to nature and a sense of flow each day, it’s always good to be reminded. What stood out to me this time in the card’s description was the importance of Courage to let go of control. It does take courage, as it’s very scary to feel like anything can happy. Which can also be exciting and fun! Which leads us to the next card: MONKEY. 

The MONKEY card is a reminder to have fun and give in to your inner child. I’ve also been striving to do this more often, as encourage by Julia Cameron in the Artist’s Way. The card encourages us to focus on the joy and humor in our lives, which is important to quiet the fears we may have when letting go of control. The card description even says to say yes to impulses, which is another way of saying ‘GO WITH THE FLOW!” We don’t want to be stuck in our heads questioning our next move, for that strengthen anxiety. Instead, if we follow the impulses and opportunities that bring joy and smiles than we can truly be in the moment, which is where true happiness lives. 

The last card, EAGLE, highlights the importance of observation and responsibility. Like an Eagle soaring through the sky, we can be free while being aware of the world around us. By being observant, we are made of aware of the directions we may take. This may sounds contradictory at first to ‘going with the flow’ but it’s not. Being in tuned with the flow does not mean the universe is making all the decisions. It means we are aware of what the universe is offering and trusting our intuition to follow the right path. And the Eagle reminds us to take responsibility for those choices. We may not be in control of the final outcome, but we are responsible for our part in it and the growth we gain. The card ends with ‘Manifest your Visions’ which I take to mean we need to know what it is we want even if we aren’t sure how to get there. By having a goal in mind and observing the world around us, we can find stepping stones to that goal. The flow is not a free for all hail storm, but rather a complicated dance between birds in flight. By observing natures dance and stepping forward with joy, we too can take to the sky.