This unusual offering is a limited edition series (only 52 were produced) from Gretchen A.L. Schork. It is a thoughtful exploration of a variety of concepts that impact our emotions and values. What makes this offering so usual is that they are designed to apply to the business setting.
For example, week 10 is ‘manifestation.’ “Current conditions are the manifestation of actions and inactions you have taken in the past. By looking at the result, you can judge if past activity has been positive or negative. Ifr the current situation is not what you want, you will have to find a different process, because the same process will result in the same manifestation.” Week 36 is ‘volition.’ “There is no action taken in business that is directly dictated by our biological life. Virtually everything we do is open to alternative options. We can choose freely to engage our drive toward a given goal in a manner that is in accordance with our personal, professional, and corporate values.”
The clarity and simplicity of the readings reminds me a great deal of the runes, with their powerful directness and ability to address deeper issues than we are aware of. I suspect that the Scribe’s Year readings would translate well to a business-specific divinatory system, in fact. One where the querent would draw a card and refer to the reading proposed. (This would, in fact be a powerful new tool – one that is NOT based on traditional tarot.)
Accompanying the readings are The Scribe’s Year Templates: a set of designs that represent each key word. The author suggests using the templates by coloring them, using the image as a starting point for a meditation/visualization, learning to draw each by tracing the templates, and others. One image appears as the ‘cover,’ above.
My only critique has nothing to do with the creator, or the offering, but with the business model that has, to date, prevented it from reaching the larger market. I feel this is of great use to our community and I wish more people had access to it.
~review by Lisa Mc Sherry
Author: Gretchen A.L. Schork
SIA press, 2006
