People who know me will tell you that I luuuuurve Led Zeppelin.  I am convinced that one day, I will somehow, some way, meet and marry Jimmy Page.  But in the meantime, I love how he injects himself into another passion of mine, the Tarot.   Check out this segment from their awesome concert movie, The Song Remains the Same.  Can’t you just smell the reefer???

Anyway, that freaky old dude he’s climbing towards is this guy from the Tarot:

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Like his namesake, the Hermit has retreated from the world.  He’s climbed waaay up high, away from strip malls, drive-thrus, cable news and American Idol, to spend time with inner thoughts and his higher self.  He’s taking a timeout to take a good look inside.    His number is “9” (I know, Roman numerals are a bitch to read).  “Nine” represents one ending of a cycle, so he’s using that opportunity to assess where he’s been and the best direction to go next.

The Hermit also has a neat perspective from that way-high lookout.  He can look down on the rest of us and see all the ridiculousness we get trapped in.  He is the Google Earth of wisdom.  The light he holds doesn’t just help our hero, Jimmy Page, find him in his climb up that psychedelic mountain– it’s light he’s sharing with the rest of us.

That kind of wisdom requires solitude and the willingness to reflect. Now while I am one of those folks who loves alone time, there are plenty of folks who HATE to be by themselves.  I won’t guess at the myriad reasons for this, but all I can say is that taking some time, undistracted by people or things, is enormously helpful.  There needs to be even a little bit of quiet space in your life for spiritual wisdom to seep in.

A meditation practice is helpful here.  Even five minutes a day gives your brain a chance to throttle down and your soul to speak to you. If meditation isn’t your thing, just reading an inspirational book – like A Course In Miracles, Vitamins for Your Soul, any of those “thought-a-day” volumes — for a few minutes will feed your spirit.

Whenever anyone comes to me for a session after a breakup, they’re frequently flailing in all that “space” they’ve just been given.  It can be a scary place, especially after being so used to having someone there.  I remind them that this downtime can be empowering.  It’s the chance to review the relationship, look at the lessons and grow from them.  That investment of time can pay off in huge ways when the next one comes along.  This applies to any kind of loss; you will be so much richer for that time spent alone, high up on the mountain.

At least, that’s what Jimmy tells me (psst!  Call me!)

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