19- The Lightning Storm

On Safety and Adversity

The Lightning Storm card embodies the raw, electrifying energy of fear, doubt, and unresolved memories—those haunting “ghosts” that shape and define us. The card depicts a chaotic sky split open by jagged bolts of lightning, illuminating fleeting glimpses of both destruction and clarity. It is a call to confront what lies within: doubts that paralyze, fears that protect yet confine, and memories that linger like shadows.

This card challenges you to question the purpose of safety in a fleeting existence. What is the cost of staying hidden in comfort? It reminds you that even the fiercest storms pass, leaving behind the opportunity to rebuild with renewed purpose. It’s time to confront your fears and doubts, let go of limiting beliefs, embrace the fleeting nature of life and embrace the power of uncertainty.

If you’re feeling blocked:

You may be clinging to your doubts and fears as if they’re armor, but they may have become chains. Reflect on what purpose they serve. Are they protecting you from real danger, or are they keeping you from taking risks that could lead to growth? If you feel overwhelmed, allow yourself to sit with your discomfort rather than resisting it. Sometimes, the only way out of a storm is through.

What fears or doubts have been holding you back? Are they protecting you, or are they standing in the way of your potential? What could you accomplish if you let them go? What do your ghosts—memories, regrets, or unresolved experiences—want to teach you?

Creativity exercises:

Map the Storm Within: Draw or write a representation of your inner storm. What are the lightning bolts (fears), the clouds (doubts), and the rain (emotions)? Then, create a “forecast” for how you’ll navigate through it.

Dialogue with a Ghost: Choose a “ghost” from your past—an unresolved memory, regret, or person whose presence you want to feel. Write a dialogue with it or envision an interaction with it. Imagine what it might say to you and what you would say in return. End the conversation by envisioning yourself letting it go or transforming its influence.

Lightning as Inspiration: Write or draw something inspired by the fleeting nature of a lightning storm. Capture its brightness, intensity, and ephemeral quality, reflecting on how it mirrors life’s fleeting moments.

Safety blanket: Create something that reminds you of being safe and warm or is inspired by safety and warmth.