Saturday, November 4, 2017

Eight of Coins - Strengthening my Attention span

Today’s card is the Eight of Coins from the Legacy of the Divine Tarot. We see a man studying the designs he has made for his coins. There is something not entirely right and he doesn’t seem to be able to pinpoint it as of yet.  He is however determined to create the perfect coins and he isn’t likely to give up.
I envy this craftsman’s perseverance, and ability to focus on a project for as long as he needs to bring it to perfection or at least to finish it. When I was younger my ability to concentrate was so much stronger. Nowadays my focus is much more fragmented. Reading for hours, studying a subject until I have discovered all the nitty-gritty details, seems to be qualities that I no longer possess.  And to be quite frank, I miss it. Oh, I do get things done and I am still able to learn new things but it feels different.  Somehow, I also believe this isn’t only caused by my aging but also by the diverting aspect of the internet. I mean the days when I went to the library to study are long gone. Reading a book from A to Z, because it was the only source of information you can find feels like ages ago.

Today this card encourages me to practice my ability to focus; to set small achievable goals as reading two chapters from my book instead of one and to diminish my screen time. Small steps….

8 comments:

  1. I miss my childhood days at the library when I would look up wonders in the sets of World Book or Childcraft Encyclopedias. I know the internet is faster, less dated and has global information, but there is something magical about books with real pages!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aarghh you make me want to buy a book right now instead of reading an epub on my tablet!!
      O wait, I am going to reread "Women who run with the wolves" which is an actual book on my shelf

      Delete
  2. you can do it kid! make a mental image of two cups and a pile of buttons. If what you are doing at this minute will enhance your life you get a button. If it is time suck the other cup gets a button.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Great idea Sharyn. By the way it has been ages since somebody has addressed me with "kid"! I love it! It makes me feel young and able. :D

      Delete
  3. I love books. The feel of them in my hand and if the story is a "page-turner" I like turning the pages and the discovery of what's next. I recently was gifted some books on tapes which is also good, a good story is a good story. Still I went to Goodwill with my sister this morning for the monthly 50% of sale, and you guessed it, books are added to my collection.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Goodwill is a treasure trove beyond compare. I have also found many books ther. I share your love for real books but I also love to read on my tablet, especially when it gets darker. Listening to audio books is something I have never tried before.

      Delete
  4. Oh, with Google scholar (or even better, a university library access) online research is just so much better than a library, academically speaking. And yet, I still love books, too, and read a bit most nights. If it's to actually learn in depth, then a bit of both :)
    Good luck finding the right balance for you, Ellen!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Balance as always, is everything. I do enjoy reading real books but I also love to read epubs on my tablet :)

      Delete