Drawing a Blank – Angel Card

I keep a set of Angel Cards in a wooden box on the kitchen counter for easy access as part of a daily ritual or whenever I would like a word of guidance. I think of them as one-word messages on-tap.

I have a set that I’ve used for about 25 years. A while ago, I purchased an updated version of the cards and I love the expanded selection of words to contemplate. The new set of cards builds onto the previous version with words like Expansiveness, Resilience, and Discernment.

Sometimes when I’m having a bit of a struggle getting clarity on a situation, I draw a card and use that word as a starting point. The Angel Cards are also great insight prompts for journal writing. Often the word on the card I pull is so direct it makes me smile at the obviousness. Like recently, I pulled the Trust card when I was having second thoughts about a project offer that I declined. That card helped me to move on and release the doubts that kept me stuck and were draining my energy.

The card sets include a Blank Angel Card. In discussions over the years with others about the Blank card, I was surprised to find that so many people didn’t like drawing the blank card and would just pull another. The responses about why they didn’t like the card had the general themes that not receiving an actual word was not helpful to them, or they felt like they didn’t receive any guidance, or it felt like a “No response for you!” to whatever they were seeking. Maybe it’s my independent nature, but I like the Blank card. It can be interpreted as guidance to be open to whatever word or thought that percolates or pops up. Sometimes I take it as “permission” to get out of my head for awhile.

Lately though, I’ve been thinking of the Blank card as my personal “On a Need to Know Basis” card. My own growth opportunities continue to stretch my capacity to surrender to the Not-Knowing-ness of life. Sometimes I find myself trying to figure out details of future possibilities that don’t even matter right now. I get caught spending mental and emotional energy on the “What Ifs”. I’m not talking about general responsible life plans and strategies like earthquake preparedness or having an emergency money savings plan.

I find myself thinking about the “What Ifs” of things like…

• What if I do things differently and I have more responsibilities?
• What if I don’t know what’s next, is it OK to rest?
• What if I miss some opportunity, will there be another?

So even though there are Angel Cards for Surrender, Faith, and Trust as well as other words that could pull me out of my “What If” thoughts, the Blank card is what speaks to me the most succinctly. It pulls me back into the moment to pay attention to what is going on right now. The Blank card carries the message to Surrender control, have Faith that the universe is conspiring with me and not against me and that I can Trust myself to see what I need to do when the time comes. (Actually, I’m not always that gracious about it. Drawing the Blank card is usually followed by a heavy sigh and a dramatic eye-roll before I accept that I’m still “On a Need to Know Basis”.)

We have to be willing to accept that “drawing a blank” to our questions is sometimes the very best response we can receive. It calls for us to look inward for the truth and access our own knowing instead of looking to others to tell us what to do or think. It reminds us to be present in the moment, notice what is going on, and take care of it. Again, this doesn’t mean to ignore personal issues or not get needed counsel and it doesn’t mean to not make plans or have goals. When you draw a “blank” response through card divination or meditation, it’s time for inner reflection and maybe it’s as simple as coming to your own answer of “I just don’t know…yet.”