Here's a reading I performed yesterday asking, "Where to put my energies in November?" 

PLAYING CARD INSIGHTS 
The numerical theme is 6 = is it worth it? I received two of a kind (2) = choice. Based on the playing card info, in November I'll be vibrating 6 energy which means I'll be questioning the worth or value of something, and perhaps will need to choose between two things.

TRIGRAM ENERGIES
I received MOUNTAIN over EARTH with moving lines 3, 4, 6 or Hexagram 23:3.4.6 titled Loss changing into Hexagram 62 titled Small Excess. MOUNTAIN describes a blocked environment or huge obstacle that seems like an impasse. Internally, I'll be waiting and wondering when things will happen, taking inventory of what I have, and being adaptive. This energy is SINKING which shows it's about retreating or staying still rather than moving. There's also 5 yin lines to only 1 yang line in this hexagram which reflects a stable but passive energy and going inward. November may feel like a slow month with not much happening but it may be great for creativity and self-discovery work. 

MOVING LINE PROMPTS
The three key questions of the month (based on moving lines):
Are you willing to defend your position?
Can you find common ground?
Is it time to re-evaluate or walk away? 

BIGRAM GUIDANCE
The bigram guidance is WINTER, revealing November is a month for withdrawal, rest, waiting, and nourishment. It's not a time to start anything new but rather to brush off old projects and ideas that have been forgotten. It's a time of simplicity and saving. 

October seems to be a good month for me and the I Ching, the ancient Chinese divination system:
(1) I received Benebell Wen's latest book, I Ching The Oracle
(2) I'm taking Harmen Mesker's online course, The Power of the Hexagrams
​(3) I'm teaching a new course through Kiala Givehand's Life Alchemy Academy, called, Deconstructing the I Ching. 

The I Ching is one of the oldest and most influential books in the world. It is a Chinese classic text that has been used for centuries for divination, guidance, and self-reflection. Benebell's book provides one of the most detailed histories of the I Ching I've seen in a layperson's book, and the entire book (a hefty 800+ page tome) is rich with diverse ways to use the I ching for ritual, divination, healing and self-reflection. You can purchase the book HERE. 

Harmen Mesker is a Dutch I Ching instructor and creator of the Yijing Research Academy. I found his videos on YouTube this year and was ecstatic to find such a well-versed practitioner using the I Ching in a similar fashion as myself. He emphasizes use of the trigrams and reading the symbolic translated texts instead of the commentaries. You can find his YiTube Channel videos on YouTube HERE.

I've been studying the I Ching for about 25 years and the philosophical commentaries have never felt "correct" to me. About 15 years ago I realized those commentaries weren't actually translations of the original text but interpretations of translations. After finding some direct translations that contained symbolic and metaphoric language that could be interpreted as an oracle, I've been diving more deeply into the original oracular foundation of the I Ching, which includes understanding the energies of the trigrams, bigrams, and the 6 lines. And that brings me to my course, Deconstructing the I Ching. 

The I Ching is composed of 64 hexagrams. Typically, for an I Ching reading, the interpretive text of these hexagrams is consulted. However, there is another way to read the I Ching, without using a book of translations or commentaries. 

In my 4-hour course, you’ll learn to deconstruct the I Ching, and use the building blocks of the hexagram to gain immediate and intuitive messages to modern dilemmas. In this beginner-friendly course, you will:

• Learn about the history and origins of the I Ching
• Cast a hexagram using playing cards or a tarot deck
• Explore the eight trigrams and their meanings
• Uncover a simple predictive tool hidden in each hexagram
• Understand how the 6 lines of a hexagram relate to the physical body
• Find pearls of wisdom in every hexagram
• Connect to the wisdom of the I Ching and perform readings with greater confidence and flexibility.

​The course includes:

• A 4-hour LIVE session via Zoom
• My printable deck -- I Ching Goddess Cards
• ​6 months access to a private discussion space

To find out more about the course and register, click HERE. My Ko-fi members have been offered a deep discount on this course. If you're a member or supporter, click HERE for the discount link. ​

In this left-handed handwriting sample, I found a few potential creative blocks:

• The schoolbook style in left-handed writing reveals contorting your path to conform with everyone else.
• Moderate to low t-bars suggest not setting your creative sights high enough
• Stunted lower zone loops show possibly dampening big energy

The flying i-dots show great imagination that may keep you in the future instead of staying in the present moment. This can be a good thing when it comes to creativity. There's also strong organization of the writing on the page suggesting being adept at juggling a lot of interests. I didn't mention this in the video but there are a lot of cradle formations in the writing suggesting there's a strong need to nurture a desire (or receive self-care) that isn't getting met. 

Recommendations:
Journaling and shadow work questions such as...
(1) Why are you hiding your greatness?
(2) In what ways must you conform to blend in instead of standing out? Why?
​(3) What prevents you from setting higher creative goals?
​(4) What BIG desire isn't getting fed?

​With all the new AI text-to-image technology popping up, I'm seeing a lot of artists claiming this is the demise of art or creativity itself. If this is what you believe, I think your creative shadow may be showing. 

First of all, art doesn't define creativity. Creativity can be applied in all areas of life, not just art. Creativity is a way of thinking and doing. It's a process that no one (and certainly not a technology trend) can take away from you. Secondly, art isn't going anywhere. Humans have been admiring art, creating art, and collecting art for many millennia.  

Here are some journaling questions to explore these aspects of creative shadow around AI-generated art:

• Do you see your identity as an artist threatened by AI?
• Are you afraid that YOU (not your art) will be replaced by AI?
• Do you believe that AI is more imaginative than you are?
• How is your appreciation for the long, slow process of making art at odds with the quick ease of making AI-generated art? 

If you find yourself wanting to tell everyone else what's wrong and how things should be done, this might be a sign that you need to do YOUR shadow work. When we focus on what's wrong with the world, we're often bumping up against our own uncomfortable edges and dealing with hidden fears. Getting into the "it should be done like this" mindset can be a sign that you're ready to explore your own SHOULDs, HAVE TOs, and other self-imposed obligations. ​

​If you're not concerned about AI-generated art, but feel you need to check in on your creative shadow, here are a few journaling prompts from my Mystic*Maker*Muse Questions for Creatives deck. You can find it HERE in my Ko-fi Shop.  
​
Question #1: What will validate your creativity for you?
Question #2: What are your hidden beliefs about creativity?
Question #3: WHY do you create?
Question #4: Can you let go of the wheel?

Would you like for me to assess YOUR biggest creative block? Send me a handwriting sample and I may use it in this series. Begin with a piece of computer paper or other unlined paper and your favorite type of pen. Hand write a paragraph or more about your biggest creative block. Take a photo of the page and email it to [email protected] with the subject: Creative block handwriting. ​

Last weekend, I co-facilitated the Deck Creator's Mastermind (DCM), led by Kiala Givehand. The DCM shows you all the ways to create, publish, and sell the oracle deck of your dreams. One of my favorite aspects to teach is deck concept. The deck concept goes beyond just a deck idea and really hones in on the WHY behind making a deck. Each year that I've participated in DCM, it's become more and more clear to me that deck creating isn't just a creative process. It's a self-discovery process and, more importantly, a shadow-work process. 

Shadow is the stuff we wrestle with, that presents us with more questions than answers. It's what we don't see or are in denial about. It's when we feel stuck or when life feels hard and we get overwhelmed. Shadow work, however, is the work of facing the shadow stuff. It's confronting the heavy emotions and repeated unproductive patterns. Shadow work challenges us to witness our wholeness and not just the parts we want the world to see. 

Here are a few truths about shadow work and the deck-making process:
(1) You can't make a deck that does not reflect you. Everything you create, especially an oracle deck, reflects you at that moment in time. And if you're wise, you'll look deep into the depths of that deck and discover yourself, your biases, and your fears, in the process. 
(2) Your deck concept reveals your current shadow work project. The deck you're trying to bring into the world has elements or themes of your current challenges. For instance, if your deck is about speaking up and using your voice, that's your biggest obstacle at the moment. If your deck promotes greater authenticity, that's what you're trying to integrate. Writing an honest deck concept will help you figure this out. Answer these questions:

1. What's the deck about?
2. Why are you creating it?
3. What questions will the deck answer?
4. How will working with the deck improve the reader's life?

Once you've written your deck concept, ask yourself how these issues are challenging you at the moment and what you're doing about it. 
(3) Lack of self-acceptance may be what's blocking you from completing your deck. If you cannot accept the shadow stuff your deck is bringing up, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to complete the deck. For instance, if you cannot seem to complete your deck that helps others with body esteem, it may be that, unconsciously, your own body esteem issues are the block. The deck may not progress until you do your shadow work and address, or at least acknowledge, the underlying issues.

Last week, I made two personal oracle decks: Creative Compass Oracle and Black Gurl Magic Oracle. The Creative Compass Oracle is a deck that keeps evolving. This is the 5th version of it and it still feels incomplete. It's a deck reflecting the creative process. It answers questions about why you may be encountering blocks on your creative journey and offers ways to resolve them. Every card is presented in a positive light or as solutions to creative problems. I've been developing it as a way to better understand my creative process so I can help others with their creative process. It has the word "compass" in the name because my intention is that it's a tool that can help you determine your creative direction. But that's also my shadow work. I'm unsure of what my creative direction is at this stage in life. So, my deck evolves as I reach new states of awareness and understanding in this area. ​

Black Gurl Magic Oracle features abstracts of Black women dancing, to reflect the ability of Black women to rise above suffering and pain. This is a poetry divination deck and the keywords are from 7 poems from 7 contemporary Black female poets. When you string a row of cards together, you'll create an original poem reflecting the soul of Black women. This deck is an antidote to the daily heaviness I feel for myself and other Black women, who seem to always be at the bottom of the world's hierarchy, "the mule of the world" to quote Zora Neale Hurston, and everyone's scapegoat. I am striving to dance through it with my head in the air, like these beautiful Black queens. 

If you have an urge to create an oracle deck, just remember there's an internal process at work. It's not just about finding art and choosing a few keywords. I believe deck-making is a way to assist in your soul's evolution. When you complete the deck, you'll have the sense of opening up to a bigger version of yourself. ​

What is your biggest creative block? In this video, I examine handwriting to uncover the root of a creative block. 

In this handwriting sample, I found a few potential creative blocks:

• Descending baselines reflect exhaustion and lack of creative motivation.
• Decreasing margins reveal setting overly strict boundaries on creative time. 
• Narrow letter spacing suggests creative inhibitions and not allowing enough inner creative space. 

Recommendations:

• Address what's zapping your physical and sacral energy (possibly the "day job").
• Set up a dedicated creative space where you can go to create spontaneously. 
• Affirm, "I always have plenty of time."
• Perform the graphotherapy exercise (below) to increase inner relaxation. 

Would you like for me to assess YOUR biggest creative block? Send me a handwriting sample and I may use it in this series. Begin with a piece of computer paper or other unlined paper and your favorite type of pen. Hand write a paragraph or more about your biggest creative block. Take a photo of the page and email it to [email protected] with the subject: Creative block handwriting. 

Creativity and technology have always had a complex relationship. On one hand, technology has made it easier for creatives to bring their ideas to life, while on the other hand, it has been seen as a threat to the creative process. However, with the advent of more and more AI (artificial intelligence) tools, creatives can now leverage technology to enhance their creativity, and here’s how.

(1) AI tools remove the barriers between ideas and reality. With the help of AI tools, creatives can now easily bring their imaginative ideas to life, without being limited by their lack of technical skills. These tools can generate realistic images, sounds, and even entire virtual worlds based on the specific input.

(2) AI tools can automate repetitive tasks, freeing up more time for creative work. For example, tasks such as photo editing, resizing, and formatting images can be automated with AI tools, allowing creatives to focus on more important and less time-consuming tasks.

(3) AI tools can help creatives boost their social media presence. AI tools can analyze the language, tone, and structure of a creative's blog post or social media update and suggest changes that would make it more engaging and effective. An AI tool could also analyze social media trends and suggest a new approach to a marketing campaign.

(4) AI tools allow creatives to collaborate freely. Through the use of AI, creatives can work together on projects, regardless of their location. AI tools can facilitate communication, file sharing, and project management, making collaboration more efficient and effective.
​
AI tools can be a valuable asset to creatives. With AI, it is now possible to quickly and accurately analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns and trends, and make predictions about future outcomes with a high degree of accuracy. While it may not replace human creativity, it can certainly enhance it. As technology continues to advance, it will be interesting to see how AI tools evolve and how creatives will leverage them.

I'm leading a discussion/demo on using AI for deck creators in the Deck Creator's Mastermind with Kiala Givehand, which begins August 11, 2023. Click HERE for details. 

Key Points:

• Pressure and pastosity (thickness) reveals your creative intensity and passion. Creatives who use lighter pressure may use light or pastel colors while creatives using heavier pressure may use deeper, darker colors. 
• Cursive writing helps you make non-linear creative leaps, while print writing can reflect a more methodical or step-by-step thinking. Printscript combines cursive and print writing and it suggests a creative who can move easily between linear and non-linear thinking. 
• There are 3 handwriting zones (upper, middle, lower). Emphasis in the upper zone reflects a lot of creative ideas. Middle zone-emphasis creatives may incorporate creativity into their daily life in a very practical way. Lower zone-emphasis creatives are often in the performing arts or sports, where their creativity has a physical outlet. 
• There are four handwriting styles or shapes: garland, arcade, thread, and angle. Garland writers are creatives with a lot of emotional depth. Arcade writers are creatives with  emotional depth that is often guarded or protected, which may be a theme in their art. Thread writers prefer to go wide creatively...they may enjoy a variety of different types of creative mediums. Angle writers are investigative creatives and may enjoy critiquing society with their creativity. 

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