The Star Spread for Teachers

How can I heal how I feel about my work situation? Heart Chakra
How can I find more inspiration for my teaching? Win or Lose (5 of Swords)

The Heart Chakra card makes a lot of sense in terms of how I can heal my work situation. Having a balanced Heart Chakra allows a person to be open to both receiving and giving unconditional love, compassion, and harmony. So if I want to heal my work situation and feel less burned out, I need to balance my Heart Chakra. I can do this through meditation, of course. But I can also do this by expression daily gratitude and by being mindful of my emotions and the emotions of others. The truth is, we all have a story. Everyone is going through something, even if it may look like someone has a perfect life. We don't know what they are going through. My students don't know what I am going through in terms of my son's health and I don't know what their individual stories are either. I don't know their struggles or suffering. When we are in the classroom, we are connecting over the literature we read. So it's important for me to remember that everyone needs love and compassion, especially the ones who are acting out. They are usually the ones who need it the most.

The Win or Lose card was unexpected for me in terms of how I can find more inspiration for my teaching. But then I sat with it and thought about how I phrased the question. The 5 of swords represents mental conflicts. When we read novels in English class, we are often drawn to the conflicts in the books - both internal and external. We can learn a lot about ourselves and how we handle conflicts when we read about the conflicts of others. Right now we are beginning Lord of the Flies and there are plenty of conflicts in that book. But I also think I need to be inspired to reassess how I handle conflict with my students. If a students is pushing my buttons or getting out of hand, it is best for me to be mindful of my breathing and to detach myself emotionally from the conflict. This way I can keep perspective and stay objective. It is easy to become emotional or take things personally when someone is acting hostile towards you or speaking to you disrespectfully, but as the adult and authority, it is best to stay in control and model proper behavior.

Enjoy the rest of the week.

All my best,

Amy