Most people in Australia are currently either social distancing, self-isolating, or self-quarantining. It has become very important to take care of our mental wellbeing while staying at home. But how are we supposed to do this?
Human beings are social creatures and thrive on meaningful connection, so although the coronavirus pandemic is challenging us on many levels, the need to stay away from others – and where possible predominantly stay at home – is arguably one of the hardest things to come from COVID-19. This is particularly prominent for those who live alone.
Not having enough social connection can seriously affect our mental health and wellbeing, so it’s vital to prioritise staying connected at a challenging time like this. While it is important to stick to healthy routines, eat well, get enough exercise and have good-quality sleep I believe it is an imperative to keep the brain stimulated and engage in creative pursuits. Following Alice down the rabbit hole, or joining me to travel within a Tarot Deck is just one way to do this. Believe me! You will be surprised what happens when you slip through the portal into the world of your favourite story telling deck.
Travelling During A Pandemic
My suitcase and I had a chat and we decided that we have had enough of this lockdown and the associated social isolation. It has become apparent that Australian borders are not going to be opened anytime soon and even if we could catch a flight we are not really sure we want to go anywhere in a viral petri dish, with flight attendants looking like something out of a science fiction movie.
So, obviously we will not be catching flights in the foreseeable future.
What to do? The call of the White Hart and the Forest of Enchantments was irresistible. We decided to throw some things together and head out of here. The forest may well be filled with some terrors but unless you have been hiding under a rock it is apparent that it is not all that safe on planet earth at the moment.
Will you pack your bags and join me in the forest or slip into the world of your favourite deck?
If you want to join in the adventure and live in a deck for awhile you can post your experiences at on Instagram or message me with a web address and I will provide a link here. Do remember to acknowledge @tarotmidwife and use the hashtags #tarotescapes #tarottravel2020 or #tarotforestescapes
I am running online writing classes at present and because not all the participants have decks I will be encouraging them to use the online version of the Light Seers Tarot.. The Light Seer Tarot site is amazingly beautiful and includes a feature where you can draw a random card. Perfect! Chris-anne, the creator of Light Seers Tarot explains that this deck “brings us into a world of traditional and non-traditional archetypes, and invites us to explore its collection of human stories and seeds of wisdom, as we travel the sunshine-and-shadow-laden path of the Light Seer.”
It will be fun to have people walk the path of the Light Seer and record their experiences.
To begin:
- Shuffle your deck many times, calling upon it to help you enter the world at the right place. The card you draw will be the first place you visit and will help identify who you meet. This is where your tarot escape begins.
- Using a stream of consciousness approach begin simply! Initially you might just want to write a postcard home, or a note to leave on your fridge door to explain where you are.
- Begin writing! As you write allow your intuition to guide you about what you need to know, who you need to seek advice from, where you should go next etc.
- Shuffle, draw another card and keep writing.
- Shuffle again and again. Keep writing! Keep exploring!
- My Travel Journal 2020 provides an example of how to travel within a tarot deck, learn about life within the chosen deck and gradually establish a unique pandemic travel journal.
Tarot Travelling 2020: Travellers Tarot Travel Journals
Inside the Forest of Enchantments – The Tarot Midwife’s Travel Journal
The Tarot Midwife 