Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Monday, April 28, 2014
The Star - Renewed Inspiration
Now that we have looked at what causes feelings of burn out and what we can do to ease those feelings, we are moving on to the next part of our journey. The Star card is all about healing, renewal, hope, inspiration, and transformation. This is a truly beautiful and spiritual card.
Although I hate to use cliches, this card always reminds me of the rainbow after the storm. We have been through so much on our journeys as educators. We have experienced joys and sorrows, hopes and fears. The Tower card left us feeling shaken and maybe worn out, but the Star card is here to help us learn and grow for the better. This card is a beautiful reminder that we don't suffer in vain. There are valuable lessons to be learned from our suffering. The message is to take those lessons and apply them to our lives, both in and out of the classroom.
As I prepare to head back to work tomorrow, I am feeling a sense of hope, excitement, creativity and inspiration. However, this is not the same as how I felt at the beginning of my journey as represented by the Fool card. The Fool was before I knew better. But now I have real experience under my belt. I now know what works and what doesn't. I can make better decisions based on what has happened. I know what I need to do to take care of myself to avoid burn out, while still working to my highest capacity for the interests of my students.
I have been experiencing some other Tower moments lately, especially my son's recent diagnosis of Muscular Dystrophy. Sometimes there are things that happen to us and our loved ones that make us want to break down and we feel as though we can never truly be happy again. This is why the Star card is so important. It's a gentle reminder that we need to acknowledge our feelings and hurts as represented by the element of water and we need to heal those feelings and hurts. We need to find little ways to be happy even when we are facing huge obstacles. This is why I try to spend as much time out in nature as possible with my family and why I schedule reiki/massage treatments for myself every two months. The human experience is not always kind and pleasant, so it is up to us to treat ourselves with love and kindness.
I know this had veered off the topic of teaching, but the same does apply. Teaching is a tough job. We all know this. We will face difficult challenges again and again. But it is important to remember that we are doing the best that we can, that we learn and grow from each experience, and that we do our best to be gentle with ourselves as we continue on our path.
Here are some suggestions for how to create more Star energy in your life:
Spruce up your classroom desk: Plants, crystals, pictures of loved ones, meaningful knick knacks are always great ways to lift your mood if you are feeling stressed.
Take a time out. Try meditating for ten minutes during your prep period.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating right, spending time with people you love, and making time for outside passions and hobbies.
Allow yourself to feel what you feel. Write it all down in a journal. Use your tarot/oracle cards for guidance and support.
Write down a list of your accomplishments. Sometimes we get so caught up worrying about where we are lacking, we don't spend enough time looking at all that we've done and celebrating those accomplishments.
I'm sure you've heard these tips again and again, but they are so important. I honestly can't repeat them enough. And I guess my biggest message with this card would be to do your best to nurture yourself, love yourself, and heal yourself. We all experience Tower moments, but we can't let our lives be ruled by them. We need to have more Star moments. We need to live each day trying to notice the beauty of our flawed, human existence.
All my best,
Amy
As I prepare to head back to work tomorrow, I am feeling a sense of hope, excitement, creativity and inspiration. However, this is not the same as how I felt at the beginning of my journey as represented by the Fool card. The Fool was before I knew better. But now I have real experience under my belt. I now know what works and what doesn't. I can make better decisions based on what has happened. I know what I need to do to take care of myself to avoid burn out, while still working to my highest capacity for the interests of my students.
I have been experiencing some other Tower moments lately, especially my son's recent diagnosis of Muscular Dystrophy. Sometimes there are things that happen to us and our loved ones that make us want to break down and we feel as though we can never truly be happy again. This is why the Star card is so important. It's a gentle reminder that we need to acknowledge our feelings and hurts as represented by the element of water and we need to heal those feelings and hurts. We need to find little ways to be happy even when we are facing huge obstacles. This is why I try to spend as much time out in nature as possible with my family and why I schedule reiki/massage treatments for myself every two months. The human experience is not always kind and pleasant, so it is up to us to treat ourselves with love and kindness.
I know this had veered off the topic of teaching, but the same does apply. Teaching is a tough job. We all know this. We will face difficult challenges again and again. But it is important to remember that we are doing the best that we can, that we learn and grow from each experience, and that we do our best to be gentle with ourselves as we continue on our path.
Here are some suggestions for how to create more Star energy in your life:
Spruce up your classroom desk: Plants, crystals, pictures of loved ones, meaningful knick knacks are always great ways to lift your mood if you are feeling stressed.
Take a time out. Try meditating for ten minutes during your prep period.
Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating right, spending time with people you love, and making time for outside passions and hobbies.
Allow yourself to feel what you feel. Write it all down in a journal. Use your tarot/oracle cards for guidance and support.
Write down a list of your accomplishments. Sometimes we get so caught up worrying about where we are lacking, we don't spend enough time looking at all that we've done and celebrating those accomplishments.
I'm sure you've heard these tips again and again, but they are so important. I honestly can't repeat them enough. And I guess my biggest message with this card would be to do your best to nurture yourself, love yourself, and heal yourself. We all experience Tower moments, but we can't let our lives be ruled by them. We need to have more Star moments. We need to live each day trying to notice the beauty of our flawed, human existence.
All my best,
Amy
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Please Support My Team as We Walk for a Cure for Muscular Dystrophy
I just wanted to make you all aware that my family will be participating in the Muscle Walk in Ipswich, MA on June 7th to help raise money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. My son is 3 years old and we recently found out that he has muscular dystrophy. Very soon he will be having a muscle biopsy to determine if he has Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy or Becker Muscular Dystrophy. This is a very difficult time for our family, but we are determined to face it by being positive and proactive. This walk will not only help us raise money for a cause that affects us, but will also allow us the opportunity to meet and help other families who are affected by this life changing illness. If you feel called to do so, please click the badge on the side of this blog post and donate. My team is called Evan's Entourage and we are trying to raise $500. Your donation would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your love and support.
All my best,
Amy
All my best,
Amy
Friday, April 25, 2014
Expect Miracles this Weekend
Hi everyone,
I apologize for the lack of videos this week, but I've been using the week off to spend quality time with my family and to recharge my energetic batteries to head back to work bigger and better than ever! It's funny to me the way the cards have worked out by looking at one a week since the start of January. It makes sense that the Tower card would show up during April vacation when many of us are feeling spent and needing a vacation or just some time away. Then starting up this week we will be looking at the Star card - the card of healing and renewal. I've been noticing some Star energy already just by observing all of the flowers that are finally popping up in my state of Massachusetts! So I am definitely looking forward to more Star energy! I think we all could use some!
So I decided to focus this post on another weekend draw, this time from the Gateway Oracle Cards by Denise Linn. I recently posted a video draw using these cards. I have been working with this oracle deck all week because I am currently doing a monthly deck challenge that was inspired by OwlMoon513's youtube channel. She recently did a video series explaining her deck challenge for getting to know your cards better and just yesterday she posted a video of extra tips for using your cards during the deck challenge. So I recommend checking out her videos and trying out the monthly deck challenge if you have multiple decks in your collection. You can do this deck challenge with tarot or oracle cards.
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The card for this weekend is Expecting Miracles. I am getting two messages from this card. The first message is that if you have been going through a challenging time, your prayers are about to be answered. The pair of hands on the card are open and in the receiving position, so things that you have asked for will be making their way to you. That being said, it is important to keep your heart open. Miracles do not always show up in big, grandiose ways. Sometimes they come in small, simple packages. So you need to be open to receiving miracles in whatever form they show themselves. The second message that is that this is a perfect time to grow something in your own life. Looking at the pair of hands again, I see a flower and leaves flowing from the hands. This is a perfect time to let your creativity flow through you in some way - like gardening, writing, making art, cooking, or whatever your favorite form of creation is. Every time you create something, you are giving birth to your own little miracle. You brought something to life whether in your garden, on the page, or wherever that wasn't there before! This message is made even more clear by the image of the sphere in the center. This sphere reminds me of an egg. so this card is all about fertility, maybe not in the literal sense, although of course it could be! But regardless, you can expect miracles this weekend - miracles that you receive and miracles you help create. Have a beautiful weekend, everyone. I hope you all go back to work on Monday feeling rejuvenated and ready to finish out the remaining school year.
All my best,
Amy
I apologize for the lack of videos this week, but I've been using the week off to spend quality time with my family and to recharge my energetic batteries to head back to work bigger and better than ever! It's funny to me the way the cards have worked out by looking at one a week since the start of January. It makes sense that the Tower card would show up during April vacation when many of us are feeling spent and needing a vacation or just some time away. Then starting up this week we will be looking at the Star card - the card of healing and renewal. I've been noticing some Star energy already just by observing all of the flowers that are finally popping up in my state of Massachusetts! So I am definitely looking forward to more Star energy! I think we all could use some!
So I decided to focus this post on another weekend draw, this time from the Gateway Oracle Cards by Denise Linn. I recently posted a video draw using these cards. I have been working with this oracle deck all week because I am currently doing a monthly deck challenge that was inspired by OwlMoon513's youtube channel. She recently did a video series explaining her deck challenge for getting to know your cards better and just yesterday she posted a video of extra tips for using your cards during the deck challenge. So I recommend checking out her videos and trying out the monthly deck challenge if you have multiple decks in your collection. You can do this deck challenge with tarot or oracle cards.
The card for this weekend is Expecting Miracles. I am getting two messages from this card. The first message is that if you have been going through a challenging time, your prayers are about to be answered. The pair of hands on the card are open and in the receiving position, so things that you have asked for will be making their way to you. That being said, it is important to keep your heart open. Miracles do not always show up in big, grandiose ways. Sometimes they come in small, simple packages. So you need to be open to receiving miracles in whatever form they show themselves. The second message that is that this is a perfect time to grow something in your own life. Looking at the pair of hands again, I see a flower and leaves flowing from the hands. This is a perfect time to let your creativity flow through you in some way - like gardening, writing, making art, cooking, or whatever your favorite form of creation is. Every time you create something, you are giving birth to your own little miracle. You brought something to life whether in your garden, on the page, or wherever that wasn't there before! This message is made even more clear by the image of the sphere in the center. This sphere reminds me of an egg. so this card is all about fertility, maybe not in the literal sense, although of course it could be! But regardless, you can expect miracles this weekend - miracles that you receive and miracles you help create. Have a beautiful weekend, everyone. I hope you all go back to work on Monday feeling rejuvenated and ready to finish out the remaining school year.
All my best,
Amy
Thursday, April 24, 2014
The Tower Spread for Teachers
What is contributing to my feeling burned out? 5 of Pentacles (Feeling Alone)
What is one thing I can do to help myself? The Emperor (Lead)
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This was a very cool reading. As I was shuffling the cards, I was repeating the questions again and again in my mind. Each time I asked a question, the card for that question literally flew out of the deck. I love when that happens. It's like the cards are screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!"
As soon as I looked at the cards, I just nodded my head in agreement. They absolutely make so much sense for me.
When I look at the image on this card. The woman walking in darkness with nothing more than the moon and a small lantern to light her way is what stands out to me the most. This is exactly how I feel about teaching. I feel completely alone and that even after nine years, I still don't have a clue about what I am doing. The mountains, the dark forest, and the marshland make me think of all of the obstacles I face every day at work. I see the small cottage as a place of solace and peace, but don't know how to get there. As many of you know, teaching can be a very isolating experience. I meet with my team twice a week, but we all teach different subjects. I am lucky if I meet with my department once a month. I feel completely alone, searching for answers for how to reach my students. I feel very isolated from my students because I can't seem to break their walls or break their cycles of apathy and anger. When I feel isolated, I feel like a victim. When I feel like a victim left out in the cold, I feel burned out.
But the Emperor card is trying to encourage me. He is trying to empower me. When I feel like giving up, this is exactly the time to reclaim my kingdom - well, my classroom. I have to step up and take control of my situation. Students need a strong leader - someone they can trust and believe in. If I don't believe in myself, then why should they? I imagine the scroll in his hand as a blueprint for success, a map that he refers to when it's time to come up with a strategy for war. This doesn't mean I should view my students as my enemies, but sometimes it certainly feels that way. Therefore, I need to reclaim my power in the classroom and assert my will. Not through force, but by reinforcing my rules and procedures. I do plan on using the new social responsibility whole-school rubric when I return as way to hold students more accountable for their behavior in class. I also need to find a way to inspire them and make them want to comply. I have to reconnect with the energy of the Emperor so that I can feel empowered rather than imprisoned.
If you feel called, please feel free to share what makes you feel burned out and how you handle those times. I hope you are enjoying April break!
All my best,
Amy
What is one thing I can do to help myself? The Emperor (Lead)
This was a very cool reading. As I was shuffling the cards, I was repeating the questions again and again in my mind. Each time I asked a question, the card for that question literally flew out of the deck. I love when that happens. It's like the cards are screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!"
As soon as I looked at the cards, I just nodded my head in agreement. They absolutely make so much sense for me.
When I look at the image on this card. The woman walking in darkness with nothing more than the moon and a small lantern to light her way is what stands out to me the most. This is exactly how I feel about teaching. I feel completely alone and that even after nine years, I still don't have a clue about what I am doing. The mountains, the dark forest, and the marshland make me think of all of the obstacles I face every day at work. I see the small cottage as a place of solace and peace, but don't know how to get there. As many of you know, teaching can be a very isolating experience. I meet with my team twice a week, but we all teach different subjects. I am lucky if I meet with my department once a month. I feel completely alone, searching for answers for how to reach my students. I feel very isolated from my students because I can't seem to break their walls or break their cycles of apathy and anger. When I feel isolated, I feel like a victim. When I feel like a victim left out in the cold, I feel burned out.
But the Emperor card is trying to encourage me. He is trying to empower me. When I feel like giving up, this is exactly the time to reclaim my kingdom - well, my classroom. I have to step up and take control of my situation. Students need a strong leader - someone they can trust and believe in. If I don't believe in myself, then why should they? I imagine the scroll in his hand as a blueprint for success, a map that he refers to when it's time to come up with a strategy for war. This doesn't mean I should view my students as my enemies, but sometimes it certainly feels that way. Therefore, I need to reclaim my power in the classroom and assert my will. Not through force, but by reinforcing my rules and procedures. I do plan on using the new social responsibility whole-school rubric when I return as way to hold students more accountable for their behavior in class. I also need to find a way to inspire them and make them want to comply. I have to reconnect with the energy of the Emperor so that I can feel empowered rather than imprisoned.
If you feel called, please feel free to share what makes you feel burned out and how you handle those times. I hope you are enjoying April break!
All my best,
Amy
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
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