New is in quotes because some of you aren’t new to this space. *waves* But news is news, and this is important, so have some anyway.
Ah, yes. Mercury Retrograde.
What better time to clarify, revisit and re-do some things. It is the time for do-overs. You remember do-overs? When you died in a video game, when you missed the chance to jump playing double-dutch (and got a rope in the face), or when you missed the pass in gym, there were do-overs. “I call DO-OVERs!” “NO, YOU CAN’T DO THAT! “I ALREADY CALLED IT!” This was a common argument. Or maybe you’ve never heard these magical words, and this only happened where I grew up…
I always thought do-overs were magical.
They live on in my intimate relationships. When my love and I fight or if a friend and I have an awkward exchange I call a do-over. I repeat everything we just said over again. If they’re too mad to participate, I say their part too. Usually, they are game when I ask, tho. At first, it might even sound the same, the same anger or resentment. If so, I do it again. I do it ’til it’s funny or until I feel playful and change my voice; until I’m ready to say what I did more kindly. I go until I’ve wrung all the steam out of the “failure.” I go until the failure has no power over me. I (we) often feel invincible afterward. Just like I would have as a child knowing that if things get out of hand, I can start over. I can be forgiven.
This is what Mercury Retrograde means to me. Do-over time.
Looking at it this way, you can see how I might forget to make a fuss about it or even notice it. For me, it’s a second chance at second chances. It’s a way to
fail faster. And when you have space and insight to view it this way
who could dread Mercury Retrograde?
Someone could I bet. Maybe you? If so, I have a nugget of support I’ll offer later in this message. But first, let’s talk about why I’m even writing this message.
I need to call a do-over.
If you were to sign up for this membership area this week, it’d go differently. You’d get a series of intro emails telling you how you can interact with this space. They would tell you how to cancel your membership, remind you of the terms, tell you where to find each kind of goodie that is in this space and what to expect. By the time you get these emails, you’d already be subscribed to a list that would notify you when I post here, and the intro emails would reassure you that you don’t have to stay on that list if you didn’t want to.
It’d be nearer to perfect than it was last month. It’d be less fail and more awesome like any proper do-over.
But y’all are already here. And I’ve gotten feedback that in addition to NOT having those snazzy intro emails; my regular notification emails might have failed too, leaving you hanging in a mysterious limbo. To this I say, I’m sorry about that. I went all-in without this layer of testing. I intend to make it easy to use my stuff at all times, and I fell short. So yea, um, I’m calling a do-over. lol!
That means I’m going to send you those intro emails and notify you of the pieces that are posted here from now on (if you want).
But I’m not trying to take away your right to choose what to receive either. If you don’t want post notifications, you can tell me here in the comments, via email at siobhan [at] radicaltarot or you can respond to the post notification itself to tell me so, and I will take you off that list. The same goes for intro emails. If you’d prefer not get a walkthrough of this space, respond anywhere to let me know. I’ve never sent intro emails before but I assume there’s a way to alter them once they start… bear with me as I discover it with you.
The next post in the astrology series will be out soon, so you don’t have much time to let me know if you don’t want to be notified when it does. And if you’re happy to know when it posts, you’ve no doubt already been pleasantly surprised by THIS notification. I hope this is the case.
Now for my offer of support for Mercury Retrograde season:
I was at a shamanic journeying circle a few weeks ago. Some of it was problematic and some of it healing. But the part that I came away with that’s relevant to you is the power of voice and attention. In the spirit of the healing that I received that day, which was very simple and distinctly auditory, what do you need to hear?
What is a sentence that might be healing for you? Something that a loved one or authority figure might say?
Where do you need a do-over?
What do you need to be repeated back?
As you can see in my story about do-overs, I believe in the power of hearing the right word the right way. Sometimes in a reading, I will mindfully repeat back what I’m hearing a client say. Sometimes more than once. It can be profound to be mirrored in this way. And this can be done without backstory, understanding, or involvement in the details. So if you’re auditory like me, if you’d value this kind of mirror, and if you’re willing to share in about 100 words or so a few sentences that you need to hear repeated back to you with neutrality and sincerity, email me and I’ll record those words and send them to you. I won’t post that recording anywhere or even keep a copy. I won’t pry about the words either.
Maybe I’ll add a grounding introduction. Maybe a blessing at the end. It’s a bit of an experiment. In honor of this retrograde right before an eclipse, what do you want to hear?
I’ve kept this circle small. As long as I don’t get carried away, like in the fun or perfectionistic way, I should be able to record for everyone who wants it in less than seven days. What do you think? Tell me in the comments or tell me anonymously.
May we have all the do-overs we need.
I’m trying to start through all the info you provide. Granted that reading on a mobile phone isn’t practical for me because I’m reading so much that I want to explore here and there voraciously. Your way of expressing and offering what you do is so different to what I have experienced. It’s fantastic and overwhelming at the same time. It’s reaching out to me at a very authentic real level that I rarely experience. I’m looking forward to reading more.. I read your recent article through Little Red Tarot July newsletter and was sucked into it until the end and the reason I am here now. So many bits in it rang true. I won’t say sister cause I can’t stand that word – to me it only divides instead of uniting. But I have the very weird and almost uncomfortable feeling on this day of the lunar eclipse that I have or am sharing the same skin/body with another being I’ve never met or knew about before this past hour…
*grinning at this
Your comment reminds me that I feel perfectly at home being someone’s sister literally (I’m eldest sister to a few folks) and even symbolically, like in a negotiated kink scenario (there I can be big or ‘lil sis *grins). I think when I write at LRT I’m calling loudly to my queer community. I’m saying “I see you, I know how you’d feel in this moment ‘cuz I’ve got one foot into that feeling too.” I would never presume genders in spiritual space but I am not wounded when folks presume mine. I just notice. I’m right on the cusp of writing about gender identity at LRT but not yet ready. The thoughts your comment inspired here will no doubt wiggle their way into that piece when it happens.
do you find it easier to listen to the audio recordings?
I’ve gotten feedback that it helps to be able to hear all the posts. I’m looking into premium podcasting, it’s a place you store your recordings that aren’t public so only your members can hear it. I’m pretty close to done with my research and am waiting ’til I have the funds to subscribe to the service and get it going. I LOOOOOOOVE recording. But not so keen on doing it publicly yet though. I want to write quality but I’m still doing a lot of thinking about how to not overwhelm and how to communicate on the tiny screens. Thank you for your feedback.
That. Is. Beautiful.