My Retirement Lifestyle Vision Statement has 4 elements; it has been a consistent vision now for a few years.
Active Body, Connected Heart, Creative Spirit, Contemplative Mind.
Recently, with my dabbling into tarot, I’ve expanded my thinking on each of the elements. Tarot has 4 suits, linked to the 4 elements, and surprisingly similar to my 4 life elements.
- Active Body – Physical Wellbeing – Earth/Pentacles – Environment and Resources
- Connected Heart – Emotional Wellbeing – Water/Cups – Relationships and Belonging
- Contemplative Mind –Psychological Wellbeing – Air/Swords – Learning and Positivity
- Creative Spirit – Spiritual Wellbeing – Fire/Wands – Authentic Self and Feed the Soul
Usually August is the lazy ‘“dog days of summer” with oppressive heat and low activity. However, looking back at August, there was something eventful in each of my elements.
Connection – A Flocking – My book club surprised me with a “flocking” for my birthday. The local garden club has this activity as a fund-raiser. Essentially, you can have 150+ flamingos, all bejeweled and bedazzled, put on someone’s lawn for any celebration. It was a complete surprise, looked amazing, and really made me feel like I belong here. I am also part of the garden club’s flocking committee; they kept it a secret from me, but I did help in “returning the flamingo’s to their roost”.
Feed the Soul – Crafting – With the summer’s oppressive heat, I found myself indoors dabbling in various new craft activities. I played with shell decoupage, cork Christmas ornaments, button earrings, and golf ball yard art (ladybugs). I have been gifted more golf balls to play with, have ideas on small up-cycled glass flowers, want to explore shell-covered garden pots, and have a bunch of unique bottles to make Christmas gifts. My crafting is definitely a place were it is “more about engagement than mastery”, but it definitely feeds my soul!
Contemplation – Light-worker – In my tarot exploration, the concept of being a Light-worker was raised. I was also exposed to the idea that, “we are all gems with multiple facets”. Am I a light-worker? Is this a facet of my authentic self? Of course, these questions spiraled into a rabbit hole of learning and contemplation. There are many definitions out there for light-worker. Essentially, a light-worker is someone who has a high positive energy (higher vibration) and who’s purpose is to help raise the vibratory field of the planet, elevate the collective consciousness, make a positive impact in whatever way they can, and aid others in their paths of enlightenment. While I do not feel my own low natural empathy, low level of intuitiveness, and lack of natural desire to help others “fits” the light-worker characteristics; I do believe I am more joyful and working on being more compassionate than I was in my earlier life. Perhaps continuing to explore the facets of my authentic self, driving towards inner clarity, removing the should’s, and blogging about these topics is both personal light-work and sending a ripple of change into the planet.
Resources – Hurricane – It’s interesting that I’ve put the hurricane into my “active” lifestyle element. Hurricane Idalia was a major event in August. There was a meme going around that said, “Waiting for the hurricane is like being stalked by a turtle.” And it felt that way as we watched it approach from the safety of a friend’s house. However, it is quite active pre and post. Before the hurricane, and the mandatory evacuation, it was all about prep. Moving things that could fly away into the garage, tying things down if they couldn’t fit inside, raising things in the house in case of inside flooding, packing up the “critical stuff” into the cars, putting flood barriers in place. All the lifting and moving is quite physically active, not to mention the mind-stress of uncertainty of, “will we flood or not?” Then post-hurricane, it’s all in repeat, plus the clean up. We had 10+inches of salt water over our entire property, so lots of debris and vegetation damage. Luckily the flood barriers did their job and we only had minimal foundation water seepage – cleanup and sanitization but no significant damage. Net, a huge event in August. Our area has not seen storm surge like this in 25+ years. I’m really hoping it is not the new norm.
So there are four eventful elements in August, from the positive to the challenging. Did you have an eventful August?
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I had no idea that flamingo flocking was a thing! Learn something new every day. I had thought about you as we heard news of hurricane approaching. Like Mona above, I will just take -40 and be happy with it. Easy to dress for, and you know what’s safe and what isn’t.
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Bernie, My hubby truly hates the cold weather. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to the hurricanes, but at least we have plan to deal with them. And that plan has been OK so far. I guess we all choose what we can live with!
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Those flamingos are awesome. I’ve seen the same thing done with the pink plastic flamingos, but these really stand out!
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They are awesome. And 150 of them – all different colors, glittering in the sun. It was delightful to see!
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Pat, thanks for you on-the-ground description of your hurricane prep & clean-up. The news reports don’t cover that as a rule. I can’t imagine what that anticipation is like. I always wonder how I would respond in one of these weather events. -40 temps seem like nothing compared to hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires. I guess it’s being prepared and having a back-up plan. What fun – flocking on your birthday.
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Mona, When we moved here full-time, I created an evacuation plan (found lots on line as examples). OK, I’m a planner, but it’s been helpful having one on paper. And declared, “if they call for a mandatory evacuation, we go”. That’s the house rule. Not everyone does evacuate, even if it’s called mandatory. It is stressful to leave and not know what you’ll come back to. But it is also just stuff. And hurricanes almost always give you time to prepare and get away…unlike tornado’s or wildfires.
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Let’s start with the most important and that’s the hurricane! I can’t even imagine how stressful that was, especially the anticipation! And then, thank goodness not a disaster, but still lots to clean up. We went through a bit of that when our basement was flooding every time it rained. Not even close to your amount of stress and still hard. Hopefully this type storm is not the new norm!!!!
As for the “light worker”, you have so many great skills, my favorite-your ability to plan, that I think you should be doing things with it. Maybe that’s the garden club, book club, foodie group or any of the other things you do. I miss that skill a lot!!!!! I don’t do any of those unusual but fun things you would come up with – even when you send them to me – I don’t schedule them – I need you! And so do those friends in Florida!
Your arts and crafts are great! I love my lit bottles and my jewel sticks! Keep those going!
As for me, I use my skills for galas (I do love to plan a party) and my arts and crafts for my coasters (which I love to work on). And of course I have dance! And my grand baby!!!!!! Along with working out, I’m a pretty busy girl and I love it. I think I hit all four of the elements!
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Candyse, And I couldn’t plan a party/gala at all! Nor dance. We all have different skill sets, which makes things wonderful. I’m getting back into some planning, but many things are now more routine… the book clubs (now 2) and garden clubs (also 2) and cardio drumming (still loving that). I wouldn’t day I’m “busy” but my weeks are definitely full. I did get a couple of ladies to go to the Barbie movie…. I miss our lunch and movie dates! Looking forward to seeing you in October, too.
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Hi Pat, I thought about you as Idalia passed, and imagined you might get some rising water from this one even though landfall was going to be further up the state. It sounds like you have quickly become a pro at hurricane prep – the price of living in paradise.
Your flock is extraordinary! I’m sure that must have been fun to wake up to. I agree that crafting is about the process, and not about mastery. In fact, my approach to crafting is much like how I visualize the ‘light worker’ concept that you explained. The journey itself is the satisfying part.
Have a wonderful September.
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Thanks Suzanne. Hubby’s capability in setting up the hydra-barriers was key for us. Many houses near us flooded, including neighbors on both sides. So yeah, we do know what needs to be done… but it is still extremely stressful. The barriers only go so high. Really hoping that is it for the season, but we’ve got 2 more months!
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That’s the snazziest flocking I’ve ever seen. Those birds are lovely, not the usual pink plastic ones for you! Glad your August was all that and a bag of chips– or more accurately, a flock of flamingoes.
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Ally, I’ve learned it is flamboyance of flamingos. The hurricane blew a whole bunch of flamingo’s off course and they showed up on our local beaches. We have not had live flamingo’s in the area for many, many years, so it’s been all over the news. Not bedazzled, but really cool. (No, I have not personally seen them… they keep moving around!)
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Hi Pat – I LOVE those bejewelled and bedazzled flamingoes and want a few of my own now! How lovely to be surprised with them for your birthday. So glad the hurricane didn’t have a worse impact on you – although I imagine at the time it would have been pretty scary and worrying. All in all, a good August and it’s more special that you’re now firmly entrenched in your new community.
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Leanne, Aren’t those flamingo’s amazing! I actually helped create some – more the base glitter stuff, not the bling. One of the ladies in the garden club is so talented in designing stuff. I do feel entrenched (great word) in the community!
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