~Mind Mapping Across the Universe
2004-08-01 - 12:07 p.m.

I'm currently reading Louise Cooper's Book of Paradox, which is based on the major arcana in the tarot deck (by the way, I think my booklist has fallen to the wayside like so many other well-intentioned projects of mine...). After reading a few chapters in bed this morning (*cringes at what my massage therapist would say about reading in bed*), I felt like doing a tarot reading. It had major aracana, swords and cups. It was very focused on getting to the truth, being forthright, finding the path, cutting out crap, spending some time alone but still communicating and connecting, developing and learning.

You know, I've always appreciated the fact that the tarot cards are generally applicable to almost any situation and usually the reader or querent finds a relevant connection to the cards without there being anything magical or esoteric about it. However, it is interesting how so often the cards do give me some clarity and point my attitude in directions that I need but mightn't have realised. My life isn't awful at the moment. The worst thing is my back down to my foot, which haven't been very happy recently. Even then, I've tried to be more disciplined and have managed to somewhat increase the amount of stretches I do to approaching what it should be, and I've finally got around to seeing the physio again (although it's a different one at the same place).

But it still made me realise how much what I need right now is some sword-cups thinking. I need to identify what my priorities should be right now and then organise myself to cater for these efficiently and disciplinedly. So I started making a list. I'm very big on list-making and often do it to help organise my thoughts and keep track of things. After writing just a few short lines, I realised that this would look much better as a mind map!

I've only been introduced to mind maps since uni, and I never really got my head around them until the Tribes PD I had earlier in the year (Which reminds me, I want to add that into a sub-map). The idea is you one simply link ideas as you think of them, working your way out. It's a more visual representation of thoughts and how they connect. The centre topic can even be a picture, and the branches should be different colours to help organise it, making it easier to take in. There should also be about only one word to a branch. I'm still not good at organising them so they all fit logically, although I'm getting much better, so I did mine in greylead so I could rub out and move things around to fit more clearly, then went over it in colour (adding a few more things as I went - they're the squashier bits!)

My mind map:

Now, I'd like to go and make sub-maps for each of the major branches. So there'd be one for work, one for health, one for the more personal/creative aspect, and they'd include not just the issues, but plans for how to tackle these and achieve them.

Of course, after all of that, I'm still sitting at the computer after having paid lip service to my stretches and not doing any planning for school tomorrow!