Asking “why?”
What Can You Accomplish in 30 Days?
30 Day challenges are popular ways to either learn something new, accomplish a specific goal, or establish a new habit.
One of my favorite tarot friends, Mark McElroy, wrote a book called What’s in the Cards for You. It is a 30 Day Experiment that helps you determine how YOU best relate to the cards and how you can use the cards that fits best with your natural characteristics, talents, and beliefs…all based on the experience of 30 days. And it happens to be on sale right now. You can buy it HERE.
What Can You Do in 1 Day?
You can ask “why?
In addition to this overall goal of Mark’s book, you can break down each day and learn a handy tarot tip to add to your tool kit for readings. Here is one I like.
Many people like to ask “why?” We seek understanding and closure. We want to wrap up an experience in a tidy package. Or we want to understand the situation so we can change it.
For the experiment, Mark says to compose a Why question. If you don’t have one, he gives examples:
- Why couldn’t I come up with my own Why question?
- Why am I having so much trouble losing weight?
- Why I am angry (happy/sad/nervous/rushed) all the time?
- Why do the networks keep airing such inane television all the time?
- Why don’t other appreciate my genius?
- Why do people who ask so many “why questions” tend to come across as whiny?
- Why are men so resistant to stopping and asking directions?
- Why do women ask questions like, “What are you thinking about?”
Mark suggests drawing three cards, but I’d say draw either one or three, depending on your reading style. Use the cards drawn to craft an answer that begins “Because….”
After you have recorded your answer, take it further by asking the following questions:
- How does the insight from my Why question impact me?
- How can I put this insight into action?
- What is something I can do today to have impact on the subject of my Why question?
These are good. And I find that many “why” questions have a victim-like cadence to them and can be changed into “what” questions. Using the first four examples above, I might be inclined to ask:
* What’s hindering me from asking a Why question?
* What prevents me from losing weight?
* What is the source of my anger (happiness/sadness/etc.)?
* What prevents others from appreciating my genius?
In addition, I would be more inclined to change the first four questions to something more constructive:
* What “why” question do I need to ask at this time?
* What would allow me to lose weight in a healthy manner?
* What is the source of my [name of feeling]? (I’d probably keep this form).
* How can I share my genius with others in a way that would be appreciated?
The initial “why” questions can help us to get to the core of what we need to be asking.