Off the mat indicates something subconscious - a thought that affects our decisions without our knowledge. An underlying truth we don't know about. A desire or a fear.
So what forms of partnership, collaboration, exchange are we hoping for? Or hoping against?
Gebo landed on the side of air, so it is possible this exchange will be in a field of communication. Perhaps an idea exchange, or a committee to discuss something. Maybe it's a writing group or a conference call.
Personally, I can think of many things in the Air vector which I hope will be situations of equal energy exchange - writing, a party, a coffee date, an email correspondence, a music collaboration, a book I just purchased. In all of these situations I expect to be an active participant - talking and listening, being present, giving ideas, expressing my truths, or (in the case of the book) spending money I expended energy to earn.
And so I hope to get an equal amount of energy back - enjoying the book; someone talking to my listening, and listening to my talking; others accepting my truths and expressing their own; maybe even a melding of our ideas to create a new story.
So, the question comes in many layers. What forms of communication, inspiration will you be participating in this week? What level of energy do you desire to contribute, and what form will that contribution take? What form of exchange or return are you willing to accept?
Remember, we are each allowed to say what we want and what we don't want. Perhaps there's a situation coming up where you don't want any return energy. Is the answer then is to limit the amount of energy you expend?
And one more reminder - the energies exchanged need not be similar, for all they are equal. Money is an exchange for therapeutic listening; a player provides as much to the song as the singer does; the architect gives as much of her energy as the builders.
Gebo, off the mat, in Air. An equal exchange of energy is possible, in a communication situation. Know what you want to accept, and what you're willing to give in exchange, and allow the possibilities to flow.
*********************************************************************
All the other possibilities aside, is this, for me, about my ebb and flow in communication?
Sometimes I am so wordy - they just speed out from under my fingers. And they're long and involved words, and sometimes they even say what I want them to say.
Sometimes I'm short and to the point. Spare and sparse. And sometimes it even sounds like I want it to sound.
The post of this reading was originally very wordy. So dense, even I couldn't figure out what I was trying to say.
So I imagine one of my balances, at least in writing, at least if I want some energy returned (like repeat customers and word of mouth) - one of my balances needs to be between how I want to say it, and how I think it will be understood. I imagine it's like that for any person who has written something down (say in an email or text?); thinking a sarcastic font as she types, but being read in literal script.
But the people I want to exchange with, the people I expect to enjoy my writing, and understand my ideas, and not dismiss me immediately, and thus, perhaps, find some happiness, those people would be looking for the sarcastic font. They, you, like words (long or short) and can feel the mood in which they are meant. So the balance is more flexible than "300 rough draft words need to become 200 final words." Like a reading, it may depend on the situation, the phase of the moon, the amount of caffeine someone has inbibed.
And, one of my collaborations is with myself. Honoring the words written by the me of yesterday, but rearranging them so they are still understandable today, and will express all facets of the truth the reading needs expressed.
Yup, I do love my work!
I hope you have a great day.
-Lila
