The Backseat

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Interpretation & Meaning

The Backseat - a card from the inclusive oracle deck

The world from the back window is slide after slide of a presentation that you’re comfortably not following.

What matters are the familiar smell and voices, your thoughts off-roading as there naturally morphs into here.

The backseat is a place of privileged detachment but also an exercise in trust.

When this card shows up in a reading, it’s time to take your hands off the wheel of your life and trust someone else with that power.

The emotional/physical/intellectual load you’re carrying might be too heavy. Whether you need teamwork, guidance or delegation, this card is a sign that you can’t do it alone and have to trust someone else to move you forward.

This is also the card of faith, be it religious or personal. Your momentary or long-term happiness is in the hands of someone who could destroy it at any time. The Backseat demands that you surrender to this idea and embrace it without the shadow of a doubt.

This card ensures you can reach your destination if you place full trust into the people, entities or processes that can get you there.

Keywords: faith • trust • delegation • faith vs doubt • trusting the process

Practical References

Places	Sanctuary, Hospital, Day-Care, Kindergarten, Bank
Work	Priest, Spiritual guide, Sex worker, Product Owner, Project Manager, Co-Pilot
Situations & Life Events	Living on food stamps, receiving unemployment benefits
Activities	Financial investments, Getting a loan, Starting a fundraiser, Getting plastic surgery, Hiring a personal trainer, Riding horses, Taking planes
Archetypes	Man of faith

Interpretation within the Game of Cracks

The Soil

In the Soil position, this card suggests a situation or environment built on trust, whether personal or political. In a pejorative sense, it could reflect a lack of either explicit regulation or the critical thinking needed to assess whether the trust in question was bestowed on the right people. Depending on the context, It could also be a sign of passiveness on the consultant's part

The Knot

As the Knot, this card symbolizes the tension between self-determination and trusting the process. The only way to advance in your journey requires that you put your trust in the hands of people, processes and institutions that will have great power over the outcome of what you're trying to accomplish. This act of faith, whether big or small, is necessary in order to move forward.

The Eye

When this card shows up as the Eye, it can represent a person of faith, someone who easily trusts others with the power to help and advance their journey.

The Fall

As the Fall, this card warns you against sharing your power or putting too much trust in the wrong people. It might not be the right time to delegate or put the outcome of a project in the wrong hands.

The Hook

When this card appears as the Hook, it's an invitation to share your power and trust the process. The only way to solve the problem at hand is to believe in someone else or have faith in something bigger than yourself.

The Fruit

In the Fruit position, this card suggests an outcome that manifests itself through a stronger sense of trust and a better redistribution of power.

Homework & Practice

In order to embody the teachings of this card, you can:

Read the sacred scriptures of your own religion, if you’re a person of faith
Write down a to-do list for the week and identify tasks that you can either delegate or require assistance with.
Think of ways in which you can share your power, either practical (work projects, family responsibilities) or more symbolic.
Reflect on the people, processes and institutions that helped you reach your life objectives. Try to imagine what would have happened if they hadn’t been a part of your journey. Would you have made it all alone?

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