An Idle Mind

True confessions. I play solitaire in order to foment my creativity. Lately, it’s been Spider Solitaire. I had an interesting experience when I started out with it.

First, there were no instructions with the game. The computer assumed I knew how to play it. I didn’t. Second, I chose the simplest level of play. Third, I discovered (by accident) that if I pushed the H key, I’d get a hint as to what card to play next.

I’ve been playing it for a while now (about 25 minutes before this blog post came to me) and I hit the H key far less but it came to me that Spider Solitaire makes a great spiritual lesson.

First, spiders are notorious for the webs they weave. They’re about connection metaphysically. I’m weaving a web of creativity when I play Spider. I intend my solitaire games to produce creative results in my life.

Second, the game is about ordering the cards. Isn’t that what I’m doing when I play in order to create? I’m asking that a new order, idea, or something be revealed to me.

Third, I need to make my mind idle whilst I play or else I lose, even against myself. I don’t know about your brain but mine is definitely too busy most of the time. An idle mind is a fertile mind, full of possibilities. If I’m too full up, I need to have an idle mind even more!

Fourth, the H key is the perfect metaphor. Give me a hint, we say, when we’re looking for a particular piece of information. The Universe gives us hints all the time IF we’ll let our minds be idle.