Tal Waksal:
As All III continues to grow and transform, I receive feedback from multiple
avenues: data analytics from sales, wise mentors, those who would like to
become advisors, and people in my social sphere who have a comment
about this or that part of the company. Whereas in the beginning I relied
almost entirely on my own vision, I now have the eyes and opinions of
others, including customers, to take into consideration.
She asks...
What is the role of feedback in the Creativity?
Dr. Ori Florentin:
We are going to do a 10-card spread called the Celtic Cross.
In the middle position, representing the current state, we have The Fool reversed, crossed by the King of Wands. This is a beautiful and fitting image, for every king needs his court jester, and every king once began as a novice. The pair fit naturally together.
1.
The Fool indicates that the current
state is either one of willful naivety, an
impenetrability to new information, or
having outgrown the position of the
novice. How do you decide what outside
information is relevant to your business, or
to the creative process more generally?
How does the Fool, or even the adept, allow
new information to intervene in and refine
the creative vision?
2.
The King of Wands is the outward-
facing side of creativity. A good king aids
the Fool and benefits the kingdom—or
All III—by considering the counsel of
trusted individuals. A poor king is either
tyrannical and insulated, refusing feedback
altogether, or he outsources too much
agency to the opinions of others, having
lost faith in his own vision…
3.
The Six of Wands reversed—"no cause
for celebration" is the message delivered.
One of the pitfalls of creatives is "getting
too high on your own supply," becoming
so enamored with the creation that they
lose sight of whether it remains relevant
to the audience or supportive of the
mission. At its highest expression, this
card suggests suspending emotional
reactivity and remaining open to short-
term disappointment. Sometimes we must
descend in order to ascend more fully.
4.
The ground, or bottom position, is occupied
by The Moon—a dreamy card that speaks
of flourishing creativity alongside the
propensity for self-deception. In this
context, it highlights how the right feedback
can be like moonlight in the night, gently
illuminating the path ahead. Its shadow
reminds us that poor feedback can confuse
us, causing us to stray or tempting us onto
the inauthentic path of another.
5.
In the position of the past, to the left
of the spread, is the Eight of Swords
reversed, returning us to the theme of willful
blindness, but this time indicating release
from it. This is the power of Good, True, and
Beautiful corrective feedback: it removes
the blindfold from our eyes.
6.
To the right, representing the future, is the
Six of Cups. A heartfelt piece of advice
is like a beautiful flower—an innocently
offered gift, given with the pure intentions
of a child. This brings us to another
question we have been circling: how do
you differentiate between relevant and
irrelevant feedback?
Is the advice given with pure intentions (Six
of Cups), or is the one offering critique too
enamored by their own ideas and voice (the
tyrannical King of Wands)? Do you value
the way they conduct their own affairs (the
upright King of Wands), or are they a poor
role model (the ineffective King of Wands)?
Additionally, does the feedback strike a nerve (Six of Wands reversed), or
does it feel devoid of relevance altogether (the shadow of The Moon)?
In medical school and psychiatric residency, I was given feedback almost
daily and had to assess its relevance constantly. Some comments struck a
nerve, and I knew it was worth introspecting and asking why I felt injured.
Other times, it felt as though the person didn't truly see me and offered
advice simply to exercise the use of their vocal cords or bask in the
authority of their position. Some physicians were such poor role models
that they possessed little credibility, while others were so skilled and
compassionate that I drank deeply from the well of their wisdom whenever
the opportunity arose.
Feedback is part of the creative process only if you choose it to be. When
digested properly, it can become enormously beneficial. Discernment,
guided by sound principles, allows us to distinguish poison, which should
be defended against, from nourishment, which should be lovingly absorbed.
Now we come to the right-hand column, beginning from the bottom.
7.
The Eight of Wands reversed carries
two meanings here. Many wands glide
through the air. The creative process can
be overwhelming: ideas breeding ideas, a
cacophony of possible directions, where
the path forward ultimately requires
collapsing infinite possibilities into one
chosen course. How do you know where
to go? Good advice hones the vision. It
simplifies. It aligns the wands—the creative
sparks—toward the same target rather than
allowing them to scatter and miss the mark.
Poor advice either scatters or deflates.
8.
The Five of Pentacles reversed functions
as a warning regarding external influences.
Be wary of those who position themselves
above you or attempt to occupy the role of
savior. This is ultimately your journey and
your vision. Those fortunate enough to lend
their eyes and ears should be grateful to
accompany you and humble in the spirit of
their offerings, echoing the generosity of
the Six of Cups.
9.
The Knight of Wands resonates with the
Six of Wands reversed. As the Eight of
Wands also suggests, good advice tames
the wild horse—the creative impulse—
and gives it direction. The warning here is
against losing sight of the goal, becoming
inflated by one's own creative prowess,
and shutting oneself off from nourishing
perspectives through arrogance.
10.
The Five of Cups reversed recognizes what
has been lost and grieves it, yet, reversed,
possesses the wisdom to walk away.
Again, its resonance with the Six of Wands
reversed is striking. Much of the creative
process is exuberant, high-energy, filled
with dreams and fantasy, as symbolized by
The Moon. Allowing another person to lay
eyes upon your work can be disheartening.
It can deflate, forcing you to abandon
ideas that once seemed brilliant.
The paradox of creativity is that every meaningful work must be both
fiercely protected and willingly exposed. Shield it too much and it never
matures. Expose it indiscriminately and it loses its soul. The creative life
is therefore not the pursuit of praise nor the avoidance of criticism, but
the cultivation of discernment—the wisdom born of experience and
sound judgment to know which voices reveal what is already trying to
emerge and which merely drown it out. The Fool must remain open
enough to learn, and the King steadfast enough to decide.
Wishing you a month of your own magic.
In your own skin.
Love and Light,