What Can We Control?
when the fence and trees come down
My friend and colleague Natha Perkins posted the trailer for the fourth season of Star Narratives, her astrology podcast, the other day (spoiler alert, I’ll be on it!) She spoke of the north node moving into Aries for the next eighteen months, and how that meant it was time to advocate for ourselves and stand our ground. This advice could not have come at a more perfect moment for me. I’ve been feeling like the very ground on which I live is in jeopardy. The transit authority is widening the road I live on and taking some of my front yard in the process, including big beautiful trees and my fence. They also want to execute a temporary construction easement on our property for the duration of the project. We were supposed to meet them and our attorney to discuss the initial “offer” yesterday, but they postponed it and now we don’t meet until August 14th. I feel unmoored and out of control.
I’m feeling a bit puzzled by the Serenity Prayer right now, because I’d love to be granted the power to be able to discern what it is I can and cannot control right now. I do not feel as if I have the wisdom to know the difference. What I can control doesn’t feel good at all. I’ve been spending my days researching easement reimbursements, looking at new houses to buy if we decide to just move (the Seattle market is DISMAL,) and trying to educate myself about the process. But it has brought me down, and down hard. Natha reminded me that now is the time to stand up for myself, my home, my ground.
As an enneagram 8 I go easily into my less than helpful 5 mode when faced with fear and uncertainty. In fact this process is one where the enneagram is particularly useful to me, helping me to be more self aware. 5s lean into data mining and research which can be excellent. In fact when you need all the information to make a good decision, 5s are the best pals to have around. But 8s, in their core fear of not being in control, lean too hard into 5 when under stress, thus my need to understand every part of easement execution law, and evaluating every house on the market in my price range. My therapist reminded me the other day that I have support. I have an attorney, a real estate agent, a therapist, a coach, lots of friends and family. I don’t have to find all the answers or make all the decisions by myself. In fact I also have a very competent husband to be my partner in all this.
It’s Leo season, my Sun season and my favorite tarot card is always front and center: Strength. This is the card I go to to remember who I am
Offerings
I was recently on The Aquarean podcast. It was fun and informative. Have a listen here:
https://www.theaquarean.com/hanna-mcelroy-tarot-enneagram/
I was interviewed for an article about what it’s like being an Type 8 woman by my friend and colleague Lynn Roulo here:
The Challenges of Being A Type 8 Woman
I currently have openings in the month of August. I will be traveling during the month of September so won’t have much open to the end. Schedule an appointment for a tarot reading or enneagram consult here