Tarot Improvisation by Tania Pryputniewicz

Here’s what happens when a new chanting and singing practice converges with a nightmare about an oncoming tsunami and a call for poems based on how Covid19 has affected our dreams. I am grateful to my longtime poet friend Elizabeth Brennan for introducing me to Snatum Kaur’s music years ago back when we lived on Green Valley Road in Sonoma County. I’ll always remember driving home through the curves to our house in the redwoods after another night of sharing poems at her home (her husband on duty keeping our children occupied) singing “Anand Bliss” at the top of my lungs. Earlier this month, I began tuning in to Kaur’s Facebook live feed to sing along to her guitar and send prayers for healing out into the ethers and beyond with the global community she’s created. You’ll have to read the poem (link below), “I try to read the name of your perfume” to see how chanting, dream, and poem converged…we are blessed to have a thriving San Diego poetry community fostering these kinds of opportunities to play.

Check out “The Mayor Called” by Ron Salisbury, “Quarandream” by Krysada Phounsiri, “I try to read the name of your perfume,” by yours truly, and “Dreams Can Go Viral” by Ron Lauderbach. The San Diego Poetry Challenge is graciously hosted by the San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture and curated by San Diego’s own poet laureate Ron Salisbury.

San Diego Poets: We have until next Sunday to write and turn in a poem about the theme of Waiting…read Ron’s Waiting poem, the full prompt  for this week, and scroll down to read the chosen poems for last week’s Dream prompt here at San Diego Poetry Together Challenge.

I’ve been posting a few tarot improvisation drawings on Instagram at heartscompasstarot; this sketch of the dream with its focus on voice and breath and song I feel is a representation of the suit of air, prayer in motion; the act of coloring gives me great joy a sense of peace. I hope to see some of you posting your own sketches too; come play with me (#tarotimprovisation).

Additional links of interest:

Perhaps, Maybe (poems by Elizabeth Brennan and collaborators)

Tarot Journaling: A Heart’s Compass Approach through San Diego Writers, Ink. We are journaling our way through the tarot deck, one Monday at a time. We are nearly through the suit of cups. This drop in group is a pure delight.

Second Saturday Poetry Read and Critique through San Diego Writers, Ink. We are a serious but loving group of poets. Bring your work and we will support one another to bring forth your true work.