Shadow Work Winter, Day 12 (14 & 15)

[tarot_scholar]

I kind of dislike the gender binary implied by talking about masucline and feminine sides. I recognize the reference to Jung, and I have a semi-competent understanding of what he means with animus/anima; I just don't think it's appropriate to place it here stripped of context. (A Jungian spread would have been perfect for this challenge! Missed opportunity tbh.)

I've never really had conflicting feelings over my biological sex or gender identity but I've been watching the discussion around trans identities unfold and really skyrocket the last five years and it's been really educational, enlightening, and occasionally heartbreaking. Needless to say, much as dualism can be appealing, I'm casting these question in a slightly different light: boldness and patience. Am I too bold/patient, or not enough? How can I better channel these two conflicting qualities to achieve what I want?

Deck used: The Russian Tarot of St. Petersburg



Boldness: 3 of Clubs
Patience: The Empress, reversed

The 3 of Clubs is pretty apt card to be associated with boldness, though it is often waiting for the fruits of boldness as well. Reach out more, expand more, be more proactive and also more open to new and unusual opportunities. I know the steps I want to take: I just need to be bold and take them.

The Empress and patience is also a fitting pair. The Empress is the card of nurturing, parenting, and growth -- all things that certainly require a lot of patience. But it can also be a card of hedonism and physical indulgence as well. Reversed here, it seems a pretty clear card of get off your duff.